Till Death Do Us Part
by InfinityStar
Summary: Sequel to Addicted to Him. All four detectives are sucked in to Nicole's final, fatal confrontation with Goren.
1. Moving Day

**A/N: Ok…by popular demand, here begins the sequel to Addicted to Him. Usually I have a story ready when I post it, but I'm doing this as I go. So if anyone has suggestions as we go along, feel free to let me know… I plan to put more story into this…more personal stuff, like this chapter, since so many seem to like it…but we'll get to the rough stuff, too…And here we go…**

**As always, these guys belong to Dick Wolf and no one else.

* * *

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Logan grunted and shoved. Above him, at the other end of the long dresser, Goren gasped, followed by a moan of pain. "What the hell did you do that for?" he managed.

"Sorry. You ok?"

"Give me a minute."

"What's going on up there?" came a voice from below.

Logan yelled back. "Why couldn't you find a place with a damn elevator?"

"Have you tried finding an apartment lately, Logan? It took me almost four months to find this place."

"But the third friggin' floor?"

"Quit bitching and keep carrying, Logan," Barek yelled.

He opened his mouth to reply but Goren cut him off. "Don't say it, if you know what's good for you."

"Say what?"

"Anything."

Logan mumbled under his breath. "Fine. You ready to go on?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

Logan waited until he felt Goren lift his end of the dresser before he lifted his. He heard Barek and Eames come up behind him. "What would happen if I poked him?" Barek asked Eames.

"He would shoot you after he gets out of the hospital," Logan answered.

Goren dropped his end of the dresser, jarring Logan, who swore. "Quit laughing, Goren," he grumbled at the other cop. He turned to face the two women, bracing the dresser against his shoulder. "Would you ladies like a shot at carrying this damn thing up the stairs?" He looked at Eames. "I take it you couldn't find a heavier dresser?"

She smiled. "I don't hear Goren complaining."

"Just wait," Goren called. "Come on, Logan. We still have a flight and a half to go."

"And a lot more furniture to carry up," Eames reminded them.

Grumbling, Logan hefted the dresser. "Ready when you are."

Eames unlocked the door and pushed it open, stepping out of the way so Goren and Logan could carry the dresser in to the apartment. Logan was first, and he glanced at the doorway. "Eames, if this sucker doesn't fit, you're going to be furnishing the hall."

Goren groaned. "It better fit. Who measured it?" Silence. "Great."

They got to the doorway and Logan stopped. "Well…I have good news and bad news. Let's set the thing down."

Though tempted to just drop it, they set the dresser down outside the door. Goren said, "Ok, let's hear it."

"The good news is the dresser will fit. The bad news is we have to take the door off to get it in."

Goren leaned back against the dresser, his hand pressed against his side. "Ok. We'll need a hammer and a screwdriver."

"Are you ok, Bobby?" Barek asked.

He nodded. "Fine."

Eames frowned at him. "You're pushing it, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not pushing it. Quit worrying."

"That's my fault," Logan said. "When I shoved the dresser at you, right?"

Barek smacked him. "I told you to be careful, you baboon."

Goren pushed away from the dresser. "I'm fine," he snapped, annoyed at the attention. He headed for the stairs. Eames caught up to him at the top of the staircase. "Bobby?"

He leaned closer to her. "It's all right. I'm going down to get a screwdriver and hammer from my car. I'll be right back."

"First…"

She stepped down onto the step in front of his and unbuttoned the lower half of his shirt. "Eames, what are you doing?"

Pushing his shirt open, she examined the area over his liver, where Nicole Wallace had stabbed him nearly five months ago. He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers lightly over his skin. "Alex…enough…"

"Chill out. It's starting to bruise, Bobby."

"I'll put ice on it later. They said my liver is fine. Stop worrying."

He started past her, stopping when his face was level with hers. Leaning closer, he kissed her. "You asked for that," he whispered. He continued down the stairs, buttoning his shirt.

She watched him go before returning to the hall outside her new apartment. Logan was studying the area. "Not a bad building. A lot nicer than mine."

"I've seen buildings in the ghetto nicer than yours," Barek said.

Logan slid the dresser away from the doorway and went into the apartment. He wandered through the living room, down to the bedroom and back through the living room to the dining area and kitchen. "Great floors, Eames. Nice hardwood."

"That was one of the place's selling points. There's beer in the fridge, if you want one, Mike."

He grinned. "My hero. You want one, Barek?"

"Sure. But just remember you're moving heavy furniture and you've already injured someone sober. I'm not rescuing you from under a mattress if you and Bobby get drunk before you're done. Got it?"

"Yes, Mother."

Goren came into the room with the screwdriver and hammer. He stopped when everyone looked at him. "What?"

Eames smiled. "Nothing. Go ahead and take the door off."

He looked uneasy, but turned to his task. Logan set his beer down and crossed the room to help him. A couple of taps of the hammer on the screwdriver and the hinges were apart, the door was propped against the wall and the dresser was in the living room.

Logan leaned against it. "Do you have anything else wide like this or can we put the door back on?"

"I think you can put the door back on."

"What about your couch?" Goren asked. "It's a pretty big couch."

Logan grinned. "You'd know—you've been sleeping on it for the past five months."

Barek slammed her elbow into his side. "You have no tact at all, you know that?"

"Since when do I need tact around him?"

Goren half-grinned and looked at his partner. "Are you sure?"

She thought about it. Holding her arms out to estimate the width of the couch and comparing it to the door, she nodded. "Yeah I'm sure."

"Ok…" He and Logan put the door back on and they all went back down for more furniture.

With a final heave, the two men got the couch to the top of the stairs. "Damn it, Eames," Logan grumbled. "What is it with the heavy furniture?"

"I can look for a heavier one, if you insist. Then you can take this one out and bring the new one in…"

"Will you just shut up, Logan?" Goren snapped. "You don't need a new couch, Alex."

She looked at Barek and they both laughed. They shoved the couch down the hall and discovered Eames had been wrong, and they had to take the door off again.

They positioned the couch in the middle of the living room, and Eames said, "The dresser doesn't belong in the living room, boys."

Goren and Logan looked at each other, but they didn't say anything. They just pushed the dresser down to the bedroom door, and found it was too big to get through that doorway, too. "We planned this well," Logan remarked as Goren worked on the door.

Barek glanced at him as she held the bedroom door while Goren removed the hinge pins. "You know how to use a tape measure as well as any of us," she said.

Goren took the door from her and leaned it against the wall. Logan gave the dresser a shove, forgetting about the polished wood floors. The dresser shot through the doorway, knocking Barek over and clipping Goren's hip. Barek jumped up. "That's it, Logan," she growled.

He was gone before she got to the doorway. Eames came into the room with a box, looking down the hall. "What'd he do now?"

Goren had pushed the dresser against the wall. "He's just being Logan," he grinned.

"Why are you limping?"

"Forget it. Let's get the rest of this furniture up here before it gets too late or starts to rain."

"Springtime in the city. Gotta love it."

He smiled. "I do." He took her into his arms and gently kissed her. "I love you, too."

She hugged him, resting her head against his broad chest. She always felt safe in his arms, and over the past few months, even though he spent most nights on the couch, she had felt safe just because he was there. She was glad he refused to let her stay alone until she had a new place. At least she was able to sleep at night. She sighed. "Let's go save Logan from his partner."

Goren took a mental inventory of his bruises. "Why?"

She laughed and gave him a light kiss. He smiled and followed her from the room.


	2. His Fault

Eames and Barek had just carried the last boxes of dishes into the kitchen, leaving several heavy boxes of books for Logan and Goren, as well as a few miscellaneous boxes that were in the cars. The truck was empty and one of them would return it tomorrow. They heard a crash in the hallway, followed by several loud thumps.The women looked at each other. "What the hell have they done now?" Barek asked.

They ran out of the apartment, finding Goren on the landing looking down at a broken box and books scattered all around him. Logan was at the top of the stairs, laughing. He looked at the two women and said "Oops."

Barek was not amused. "I'll give you 'oops.' Are you trying to get someone killed?"

Eames looked down at Goren. "Are you ok?"

He grinned up at her. "Fine."

Logan frowned at his partner. "You jump my shit and she wants to know if he's ok. What gives?"

"Did he drop the box?"

"Well, no."

"Were you in range of the falling box?"

"No."

"Ok, then."

"Fine. But when he drops a box on me…"

Barek stepped up close to him. "Has he done that yet? Did he impale you on a dresser or knock you over playing roller derby with it? I swear, Logan…"

"Ok…ok…" He started down the stairs, stumbling over a stray book.

"Don't hurt yourself," she warned more gently. "Where are you going?"

"To pick up the books."

Luckily it was the last box they had to handle. Eames and Barek managed to get everything else in and lock up the truck and the cars by the time they had the books picked up and stacked haphazardly on the stairs. Eames looked from the books to her partner to Logan. "We're working on it," Goren assured her.

"Just be careful, ok?"

Barek shook her head. "We're going to get some pizza for dinner. Any requests?"

Goren shook his head and Logan answered, "Pepperoni would be nice."

"Ok. We'll be back shortly. Try not to hurt one another."

As they headed down the stairs she said to Eames, "Sometimes they're just like little kids…"

Logan called after her, "We heard that!"

"You were meant to."

Goren chuckled as he grabbed a stack of books. "Oh, shut up," Logan snapped, grabbing another pile and heading up the stairs behind him.

By the time they got back with the pizza, the books were in the living room, at least, no worse for the wear. The same couldn't be said for either of their partners. Goren was on the couch with an ice pack on his abdomen and Logan was lying on the floor by the fireplace with his own ice pack on his left eye. Eames and Barek looked from one to the other. "What happened?" Eames ventured.

Goren nodded his head at Logan. "He fell down the stairs."

"Are you all right, Mike?"

Barek walked over to him as he answered, "I'm fine. A couple more beers and it won't hurt any more."

She squatted beside her partner. "How'd you manage that?"

"You really don't want to know."

"You're probably right. Let me see it." He removed the ice pack. "Nice."

Eames sat beside her partner. "And how are you?"

He smiled at her. "Sore, but nothing's broken."

She moved the ice pack and opened his shirt to look at the bruise. "Oh, Bobby…Are you sure that's ok?"

He nodded. "It's ok. It's just a bruise."

"Let's eat," Logan said as he got up off the floor, a little unsteady.

Eames watched him. "I hope you realize you're spending the night."

"Come on, Eames," he objected. "Getting home drunk is one of life's biggest challenges."

Barek glared at him. "It's a challenge I wish you'd quit accepting…or at least give me a break and call one of these guys once in while when you can't figure out where the hell you are."

"Hey, I don't do it often."

"No, but it's always raining or snowing or four o'clock in the damn morning."

He laughed as he pulled a slice of pepperoni pizza from the box.

That had been about six hours ago. Now Eames was wandering around her new apartment. The curtains were open, allowing the streetlights to fill the room with enough light that she could see. She loved the hardwood floors and the high ceilings. There was a fireplace directly across from the door, but the landlord told her it didn't work. He'd knocked two hundred a month off the rent because of it, so she wasn't going to complain. Still it gave the room a more cozy feel. A muffled sound in the room caught her attention. She looked toward the couch, where Goren and Logan had collapsed not long after they'd eaten. Barek was asleep in the recliner, blanket pulled up to her chin. Eames smiled. She found that she really enjoyed doing things with Barek and Logan, and Bobby seemed to as well. Her partner had an odd assortment of friends, but few of them were cops. Most of their colleagues tended to avoid him. His intensity and odd behavior made them leery. She was glad to see Logan had gotten over that.

She looked at the stacks of books on the far side of the room. The lopsided columns, she guessed, had been set there by Logan because the other stacks were lopsided pyramids, and she couldn't see Logan having the patience to do that sober, much less drunk. She walked to the window near the dining table and looked out into the street. It was raining, and the streetlights reflected off the wet streets. The occasional car made a wet swooshing sound as it passed. Other than that, the street was empty and quiet. Another reason she was happy with this place is that it was closer to Goren's than her other apartment had been, within walking distance. He'd decided to stay there, which made her very uneasy, even if he did have the locks changed. She'd been furious with him for insisting she find a new apartment when he refused to do the same. He was at far greater risk than she was, but he didn't see it that way, damn him. She knew she wasn't going to rest easy with him in his apartment until Wallace was safely behind bars. So she would just have to do what she could to keep him at her place, or at Logan's or Barek's, as much as she could until the danger was passed. And she refused to listen to him when he told her there was no danger. He seemed to be able to discount Wallace's threat to himself, so she had to worry for him.

She sighed. Sliding the window open, she took a deep breath of the fresh night air. She loved spring rain, especially at night. She nearly jumped out the window when a hand touched her back. Two strong hands grabbed her waist and a soft voice asked, "Hey, why so jumpy?"

She hung her head down, waiting for her heart to stop pounding. "Damn, Bobby…make a sound when you creep up on a person."

"I wasn't creeping. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was just…enjoying the night air."

"Alex," he whispered softly into her ear. "You were thinking about her, weren't you?"

"You know I was. Why ask?"

He rested his head against hers, gently kissing her. "You can't let her do this to you."

She turned her face toward him. "She haunts you."

He couldn't deny it. And he understood why she haunted his partner, though it troubled him deeply that she did. He didn't want her to have to go through what he did, but there was nothing he could about it. "I'm sorry," he said sadly. "If there was any way I could change it…"

She placed her hand against his lips. "There isn't. You have no idea how she haunts me, Bobby. And when you dismiss the danger she presents…" She shook her head. "We've been through this. Go back to sleep."

She walked away, leaving him by the open window. Damn…he couldn't leave it at that. He followed her to the bedroom. "Alex…"

"Don't," she said. "I don't want to argue."

"I won't. I promise."

"What are you going to do, Bobby? She's going to pop up again. She left with the edge, remember? She won the last round."

"I know. And that was all my fault."

"Yes, it was, and I'm glad you accept the blame. But this isn't just about you. It's about me, and Logan and Barek as well. Maybe she doesn't know where they live, or where I live any more. But she knows where you are. And you are her primary target. That's why I don't sleep at night."

She'd never told him that. He had assumed her nightmares had to do with her own ordeal as Wallace's victim. It had never occurred to him that it wasn't herself she was concerned about, but it should have. He walked away from her, over to the window, which she had opened earlier. He leaned against the wall and looked out into the street. She ignored him, busying herself with putting clean sheets on the bed. Without turning, she said "I'm ready to go to bed, Goren."

Ok, he couldn't leave it like this. If he left the room now, he knew there wasn't enough beer left to ensure he could sleep. He walked over to her, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. She started to pull away, but he tightened his grip. Finally, she turned, furious. "Look," she began.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, interrupting her tirade before it began.

"You…what? What did you say? You're sorry? You damn well better be." She paused and took a deep breath. "What are you sorry for?"

"For worrying you. I…I just assumed it was your ordeal…I…I never thought it was me."

"How self-centered do you think I am?"

"It's not that…" This was just getting him in more trouble. He wasn't sober enough to get himself out of it. "Oh, hell…forget it. Go on and go to bed." He kissed her cheek. "Good night, Alex."

She remained where she was and let him go. It was a decision she would regret.


	3. Wandering

_Forget this_, Goren thought to himself. He went out the front door, locking it behind him. He had his keys, but he wasn't about to get in the car. He'd had way too much to drink to drive. So he walked home. And he thought. He let his mind wander and ramble. And it kept wandering right back to his partner. He thought about how soft her skin felt under his hands, and how his own skin felt when she touched him. He thought about how he felt when she teased him, when she kissed him, and that made him smile. Then his thoughts turned to how she was mad at him right now, and he hated that. Nothing in the world made him feel worse than Alex being mad at him. Not even Nicole Wallace…his hand strayed absently to the side of his abdomen, where sensations of varying severity continued to remind him of what she had done, not just to him, but to Eames. He could never forgive her for that…not that he was of a mind to forgive her anything at all. Damn it! How the hell had his thoughts turned to Wallace?

He stopped and looked around, confused for a moment. He'd taken a wrong turn. Shit. Turning around, he headed back to the street he should have turned on. He didn't mind the rain. It reminded him that he was alive, that he could feel…and feeling, he remembered that she was mad at him. Sometimes, when he was drunk, he could forget things for a little while. Other times, just as drunk, he couldn't forget anything. Tonight was one of those times, and his damn mind kept wandering back to the fact that she was mad at him.

He pulled his keys out of his pocket and opened the door, stumbling slightly as he entered the apartment. He closed the door and slid the deadbolt into place. Everything was just as he'd left it. He'd made a point of coming and going while he stayed with Eames, so no one would notice he wasn't there. By now his neighbors were used to his irregular hours. He took off his jacket and tossed it onto the couch. Unbuttoning his shirt, he went into the kitchen and got a beer. Dropping onto the couch, he leaned back and took a long drink. What the hell was he going to do? The thought crossed his mind to call her, but he vetoed it as quickly as it appeared. The best thing he could do right now was have a couple more beers and go to sleep. Maybe he wouldn't think…yeah, right…

Eames tossed and turned all night long. Damn! She was so mad at him right now…and yet…she wanted him… She wanted him to hold her and kiss away her anger…but he had no intention of doing that, that much was clear. She wondered if she'd made him as angry. He hadn't seemed angry, but with Bobby, it was hard to tell sometimes. Well, she'd talk to him in the morning and they'd square it. They always did. And he'd be his affectionate self and she'd play around and tease him until… She rolled over again…Damn! Was it morning yet?

Morning came soon enough. Eames had finally dozed off, shortly before the sun came up. It was nearly eleven when she woke. She got up and got dressed, heading out into the living room, anxious to apologize to her sensitive partner. Barek was already up and had coffee made. She smiled at Eames. "Hey. How's Bobby feeling?"

Eames frowned and stopped pouring her coffee. "What do you mean? Isn't he out here?"

"No. When he wasn't here I figured he'd gone into the bedroom with you."

"No, he didn't. Well, he…we had an argument, kind of…Do you think he could have left?"

Barek went to the window and looked down at the street. "His car's still here."

"He wouldn't have driven anywhere." She picked up her phone and hit the speed dial, waiting while the number dialed. Then she heard it ringing in the living room. "Shit! He left his phone here." She dialed his home number and waited while it rang and rang… "He's not answering. Damn! I'm going to kill him."

Barek was already over at the couch. "Hey. Sleeping beauty. Get your ass up."

Logan rolled over and slid onto the floor. "What the hell…oh…couch…What'd you wake me for?"

"Goren's gone missing."

"What do you mean he's gone missing?"

"Which word didn't you understand?"

"Where'd he go?"

"If we knew that, he wouldn't be missing, now would he, Einstein?"

"Did you try calling him?"

"Yes. His phone's right over there on the mantel."

Logan struggled to shake the sleep from his hungover brain. "Ok, fine. I'll go on over to his place and see if he's there."

He grabbed his jacket and stumbled toward the door. Looking at the two women, he said, "I want something to eat when I get back." He stopped as he pulled the door closed, poking his head back into the apartment. "Please."

He pulled the door shut. Down three flights of stairs and out into the street, he grumbled to himself. Stepping out of the building, he looked up at the wet, gray sky. "Oh, great. It's raining."

By the time he got to Goren's apartment building, he was cold, dripping wet and very unhappy. The elevator didn't answer the call button, so he traipsed up another three flights of stairs. Stopping in front of his friend's door, he pounded. And he waited. He pounded again. And waited some more. What the hell…? Another pounding. Finally he heard the lock and the door opened. Goren glared at him. "What the hell is your problem, Logan?"

"Apparently, you are. You scared your partner out of her mind, you dumbass."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Logan gently pushed Goren out of his way and came into the apartment. He saw the assortment of beer bottles decorating the coffee table. "No wonder you didn't answer the door."

Goren ran a hand over his head. "What's going on?"

"Well, Eames woke up and you weren't there, so she panicked. Then Barek woke me up and here I am, cold, wet and ready to beat the shit out of you."

"I came home. What the hell's the big deal?"

"You didn't leave a note. How the hell should I know? All I know for sure is there's two worried and really pissed women a coupla blocks away and if we know what's good for us, we'll sober your ass up and get back over there. Either that or we run away and join the circus, which doesn't sound too bad right now."

"Ok, fine. Let me change."

"You still have clothes here?"

"Shut up, Logan."

"I don't know why you don't just give in and move in with her. Hell, you've been living at her place…"

"Mike."

"What?"

"If you don't shut up, I'm going to do it for you."

He opened the bedroom door and went in. The room was mostly empty, since he'd gotten rid of the old bed and hadn't gotten a new one yet. He'd have to take care of that. He opened the closet and pulled out a clean shirt. Opening his dresser, he got out a pair of jeans. "Uh, Bobby?"

"What?"

"Have you been in the bathroom yet since you got here?"

"No, why?"

"Get in here."

He went into the bathroom and followed Logan's stare to the mirror. Taped to it were four pictures…surveillance pictures that had been taken recently, out on the streets…over the past couple of weeks. There was one picture of each of the four detectives, and a careful bull's-eye was drawn on each picture…


	4. An Unexpected Visit

Goren stepped back out of the bathroom. Logan frowned at him. "When do you think she was here?"

They looked at the photos, then back at each other. "Oh, shit…" Logan muttered. "You don't think…could she have been here while you…"

Goren went back into the living room, Logan right behind him. "What are you looking for?"

"A note…she would have left something…to taunt me…"

"Under the beer bottles, right there."

Goren went into the kitchen, coming back out pulling on a pair of latex gloves. He pulled the note out from under the bottles. Logan saw the rage in his eyes. He stepped up beside him and read:

_Hello, Bobby, You changed your locks. How mundane. As you see, I was here while you were…asleep. I left you a little calling card. I didn't kill you this time, although I very easily could have. I will not be so generous next time. I was very disappointed to find your lovely, little partner had moved. Yes, I stopped by her place, too. You might want to run by there sometime soon. This little visit was a warning, Bobby dear. Start looking over your shoulder…you and your three friends. I'll be there but you never know when. Sleep well, sweet prince…_

Furious, Goren kicked the coffee table, sending beer bottles all over the room. Some broke, most didn't. Logan shook his head. "You never even knew…"

Goren turned on him. "Just shut up, Logan. Just shut the hell up!"

Logan placed the call requesting CSU to process the apartment, though they both knew there would be nothing to find. He also requested a unit respond to Eames' old address. Logan sat on the arm of the couch, watching Goren pace in agitation. He didn't say any more, seeing how volatile the normally calm detective was. Goren forced himself to settle down and he looked at Logan. "Uh, I…I'm sorry, Mike. I…" He shook his head. "Eames is going to…hell, I don't even know what she's going to do."

"Kick your ass, maybe. You preach to her about being safe and not staying alone…"

"Yeah, yeah…I know."

Logan pulled his phone from his pocket. "You ought to call her. She's still worried, you know. Unless that was your plan, for her to worry…"

"What? No, of course not."

He tossed the phone at him. Goren caught it and dialed her number. He felt a little calmer just hearing her say her name. "It's me," he said softly.

"Where are you?"

"My place."

"Are you ok?"

"Yes."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I didn't do anything wrong," he protested with a frown.

"You…never mind, we'll talk about it later. Are you coming back over here?"

"Yes. We'll be there in a little while."

"Ok." She let the anger fade from her voice. "I was worried," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry."

"I love you," she added.

The frown eased from his face. "I love you, too."

He snapped the phone closed and tossed it back to Logan. "Thanks."

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"Not over the phone, Logan."

Logan nodded. "Don't give her time to stew about it…good plan."

There was a knock at the door before Goren could reply. He opened it, admitting three crime scene techs. "Hey, Bobby," the senior tech nodded at him. Then he grinned at Logan. "Mike."

"Hi, Chris."

"What's going on?"

Goren motioned for him to follow, leading him into the bathroom. Chris studied the pictures. "Well, shit. Any idea who left these?"

"Yeah. Nicole Wallace."

"That crazy bitch who stabbed you?"

"Same one."

"I'd be worried if I were you." He looked at the pictures. "All four of you. I thought you were going to change the locks after she left you that dead bird."

"I did change the locks."

Chris shook his head. "We'll check the lock, but damn, I'd be moving if I were you."

"We've been trying to tell him that," Logan commented, earning him a frown from Goren.

They waited for the techs to finish their work, which took almost two hours. Finally, they were gone and Logan sighed. "I guess we ought to bring lunch to the girls."

"It's almost three o'clock. It'll be supper time soon."

"It's so much fun hanging out with you. Where _does_ the day go?"

Goren just glared at him and headed past him out the door. Logan pulled the door shut and watched Goren lock it. He watched him slip the keys into his pocket, and he said, "She'll get over it."

Goren frowned for a minute, then he tried to grin. "Thanks."

Eames opened the apartment door and frowned at the two men. "Don't be too mad," Logan said. "We brought sandwiches."

"And that's supposed to make us feel better how?" Barek asked.

"Cut me some slack here, Barek. You guys are _not_ gonna like what we have to tell you."

Goren had dropped onto the couch and was rubbing his forehead. "What's wrong?" Eames asked. "I mean besides your hangover."

"You don't want to know," Logan answered.

Goren pushed himself off the couch and stepped toward Logan, who trotted to the other side of the room and stood near the mantel.

Eames and Barek looked at each other, and then at their partners. "Ok, what's going on?" Barek demanded.

Logan said softly, "He had a visitor during the night."

"No…" Eames said softly. Goren looked at her, waiting for her to say 'I told you so…' but all she said was, "Are you sure it was Wallace?"

He nodded. "She left her calling card."

"Another bird?"

"No. Pictures. Taped to the bathroom mirror."

Barek leaned against a stack of boxes, watching the two men. "Pictures of what?" Eames asked tentatively.

"Us. All four of us."

Logan added, "We were each decorated with a bull's-eye. Nice touch, don't you think?"

Eames felt the color drain from her face. She looked at Goren, then at Logan. Barek also looked from one to the other before she said, "It never occurred to either of you to let us in on it when you found them?"

"It occurred to us," Logan said. "We just decided against it."

She frowned at him, but let it go. "So what do we do?"

"First, we talk to Deakins," Goren said reasonably as he eyed his partner warily. "See what he wants to do."

Eames looked at him, some of the color returning to her face. "And then what? Witness protection?"

"It's not as easy as that. I'm not going into hiding."

"You're still going to stay at your apartment," she said, her anger mounting. She stepped toward him and gave him an angry shove. He stumbled back a couple of steps. "Tell me you're still going to stay in that damn apartment! Go ahead! Say it!"

She hit him again and he grabbed her hands, holding her wrists as she stepped into him. But then she buried her face in his shirt and began to cry, anger, frustration and worry boiling through her rage. He released her hands and slid his arms around her. Her shaking slowly eased and she pulled herself together. Finally, she stepped away from him, still angry, but much calmer. She met Barek's eyes. The small brunette just gave her a small smile. Then she looked at Logan, who shrugged his shoulders. Finally she looked at her big partner, wondering why the hell she loved him so much. Then she saw the look in his soft brown eyes, and her anger faded. She took a deep breath. "Well, Goren? Go ahead and tell me you're still staying in that damn apartment."

"No. I'm not. Ok? I'm not going back. And I'm not leaving you alone. Not until I know she can't hurt you." He looked at Barek and Logan. "Neither of you should be alone either."

Barek shook her head. "If you think I'm staying at Logan's, you're out of your mind. Have you been to his rat trap?"

"Hey, I call that place home."

"So do the rats."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"We see what Deakins says," Goren insisted.

"Fine," Logan agreed. He picked Goren's phone up off the mantel, tossing it across the room at him. "Call him."

Goren caught the phone and dialed the captain's number. He looked at Eames. She was composed, but he was certain she was still angry with him.

"Deakins."

"Hi, Captain. It's Goren. We, uh, we have a problem."

"I hate conversations that start this way."

"Uh, Wallace came by my apartment this morning sometime."

"No…already? Where were you?"

"I was…there."

"Was Eames with you?"

"No, thank God."

"Are you ok?"

"Fine…I, uh, I never knew she was there. But she left a message…and a calling card."

"Where are you now?"

"At Eames' new place. But that's not all."

"There's more?"

"She's targeting the four of us. CSU has already been and gone."

There was a moment of silence. "Ok, I'll stop by the lab and then I want to talk to you."

"Logan and Barek are here, too."

"Good. All four of you stay there. I'll be there in a couple of hours."

"Sorry, Captain."

"Don't be. What's the new address?" He gave it to him. "Ok. I'll be there soon."

He closed the phone. "He's coming over and he wants all of us here."

Logan picked up the bag he'd brought in from one of the boxes. "Anyone hungry?" No answer. "Well, I am."

"When you're not hungry, Logan, I'll start to worry," Barek commented.

He smiled at his partner and headed into the kitchen.

Goren continued to watch his partner. He slowly walked over to her. Tilting over, so he could see her face, he said quietly, "I'm sorry, Alex."

"You will be," she promised.

But she saw his desperation, and she knew he needed to know they were ok. He never took it well when she was angry, and she understood that. His mother had inadvertently trained him to equate anger with abandonment. She stepped closer and softly kissed him, resting her hand on his cheek. "It's ok, Bobby. But you should know that if you had told me you were keeping that damn apartment, I was going to shoot you."

He saw the smile in her eyes, and he relaxed. He hugged her and kissed her forehead. There was no way in hell he was going to let Wallace hurt her again. He would die first. Holding her closer, he prayed it would never come to that.


	5. Captain's Orders

When the doorbell rang, Barek was the closest to the door, so she opened it to admit the captain. Deakins came into the apartment and looked around the room, eyes moving from one detective to the next. His eyes finally came to rest on Goren. "You were _there_ when she broke in?" He nodded. "And you didn't know she was there?" He shook his head. "How did that happen?"

"I…was sleeping…"

"You don't sleep that heavily."

"I…I did this morning."

Logan looked at the captain. "Half a case of beer will do that to you."

Understanding dawned and Deakins nodded. "You could have told me that."

The big detective just looked away. He was still furious with himself for getting into that situation, furious and embarrassed. He was tired of making mistakes. He had no way of knowing Nicole would show up…but the risk was always there, as long as she walked free. He'd been ignoring that fact, trying to go through his days without thinking about it. Eames, he realized, had been doing enough thinking about it for both of them. The captain looked from Eames to Barek. "I assume you both know about the note?"

Eames frowned and glared at her partner. "What note?"

Goren winced at the look on her face. "Uh, she left a note, so she would…be sure…I knew she was there."

Barek asked, "And when were you planning to let us in on it?"

"I, uh…you know now."

"What did it say?" Eames addressed her question to Deakins, pointedly ignoring her partner so she wouldn't blow up at him in front of the captain.

Deakins opened a file folder he had in his hand and walked over to her, handing her the note, sealed in an evidence bag. She read it, her face turning pale for the second time that day. She handed it to Barek and, with great trepidation, asked, "Did you send someone to my old apartment?"

Deakins nodded. "When Logan called it in, they sent a unit over."

"And?"

"It wasn't a pretty sight. Two bodies. We're assuming them to be the tenant and her boyfriend. We don't know anything else right now."

Goren propped his arm against the mantel and rested his head against his hand. Two more bodies…two more demons to haunt his nights…two more people dead, at least in part because of him…

Deakins took the note when Barek handed it back to him and handed her the four pictures, each sealed in its own evidence bag. "We know now that all four of you are being targeted. Our first priority, of course, is to apprehend Nicole."

"And what?" Goren snapped. "Turn her over to Carver so she can be acquitted again?"

"Have you forgotten about the assault and attempted murder charges she's warranted on?"

Goren lifted his head to look at his captain. "Do you think I have?"

No one missed the fact that his hand had strayed to his side and rested over his now-healed injury. "Bobby," Eames said gently, reading his frustration and anger. "We can't control the juries."

Deakins could sense the big detective's tension. "We'll get her this time, and Carver will be sure to put her away for good. He assures me we have enough evidence…"

Goren waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah…I've heard it before. Let's move on to point two."

"Settle down, Bobby," Barek said quietly.

He looked at her, then at Eames. He took a deep breath. His frustration and anger were directed mainly toward himself, but his fuse was very short. "I'm sorry, Captain."

"It's been an unsettling day. I understand that." He accepted the pictures back from Barek. "Ok, on to my second priority, and that is to keep the four of you safe. First, and most important, I do not want any of you off on your own."

His gray eyes lighted on Goren, who was staring at the floor. When Deakins didn't say anything more, he looked up, catching four pairs of eyes on him. "I heard."

"It's going to be up to each of you to watch out for the other three. Sorry, kids, but until this blows over, I want the four of you to stick together. That means eating together, sleeping together, being together."

Logan choked and Barek smacked him. "Not a chance in hell, Logan, so get your damn mind out of the gutter."

Deakins looked amused. "You know what I mean. This isn't high school any more." He sighed heavily. "I really hate to do this. I'm pulling a couple of detectives from homicide to work Major Case for the time being. You four are going to a safe house."

Goren repeated what he said earlier. "I will not go into hiding."

Deakins met his eyes. "Not even to save your partner's life?"

Eames' eyes narrowed. "Do not use me as a pawn to get him to do what you want him to, Captain. If he wants to run off and get himself killed…"

Goren frowned at her. "That's _not_ what I plan to do."

"You didn't plan to get yourself stabbed, either, did you?"

"How the hell are we supposed to catch her if she can't find us?"

She leaned forward and shouted, "How the hell are we going to find her if we're dead?"

Deakins stepped in, always uneasy when these partners fought. "Leave it up to us to find her."

Goren shook his head, even more agitated. "She's not going to let you find her. This is a game to her, and she has tipped as much of her hand as she's going to. If she can't find her targets, she's not going to pop up and say 'here I am.' We need to bait her, to draw her out of hiding, or we're not going to get her at all."

"And who do you propose we use as bait?" Logan asked.

"I'm the best bait we have."

"No," Eames said emphatically.

Goren glared at her. "Eames…"

"Ok, enough," Deakins cut in. "I still call the shots here, remember?" He looked pointedly at Goren. "Until thing drastically change, what I say goes. She nearly killed you last time…"

"I didn't expect her to…"

"No more arguments. All four of you are going to the safe house. End of discussion."

Goren held up his hands in surrender. Arms crossed, he leaned back against the wall beside the fireplace and fell silent. Deakins took a deep breath. His next order was not going to go over any better, especially with the already-angry Goren. "There's to be no contact."

Goren looked at him. "No contact?"

"None. If something comes up I will get in touch with you."

"My mom…"

"I'll keep an eye on her, Bobby. I'll make sure to call and let her know you're ok."

Goren didn't like this at all, but he was tired of arguing. He propped his elbow on the mantel and rubbed his forehead. Logan said, "So we just put our lives on hold…"

Barek looked at him. "You do if you want to _have_ a life."

Deakins said, "I'll make sure your rent and your bills stay current. Bobby, your apartment…"

Goren waved a hand. "I'll take care of it. I'll find a place to stick my stuff until this is over."

The captain nodded. "I'll arrange the safe house. You four pack and get ready."

"Where is the safe house?" Eames asked.

"Upstate. I'll call you tomorrow."

He muttered good night and left. Three detectives turned eyes to the fourth. Goren frowned. "Now what?"

Barek shook her head and looked away. "Nothing."

Not even Logan would venture to say anything. That left Eames. "Thanks, guys," she grumbled. She got up from the couch and walked toward her partner. "Look, I know things are…different when it comes to Nicole Wallace. But that doesn't give you an excuse to blow up at everyone."

He shook his head. It wasn't often she didn't understand him. "I just…I want to get this over with. I want her in jail so you…" He looked at his hands. He wasn't in the mood to explain himself, not even to her. "Never mind."

He felt like a caged tiger…trapped with nowhere to go. So he did what he always did when he felt this way. He retreated into himself. He walked away from her, across the room to the dining table and he sat down, with his back to everyone. Eames shook her head. She hated when he did this. It took an effort she just did not have right now to draw him back out. "Look, Goren, we need to run over to Barek's and Logan's apartments so they can get packed, and we're not leaving you here. Remember what Deakins said."

He looked over his shoulder at her, but didn't say anything. That was good enough for her. Sometimes it was enough that he simply acknowledged that she had spoken. "He's going to be a barrel of laughs tonight," Logan observed.

Barek pushed her partner toward the door. "Leave him alone, Mike. Let's get this over with." She looked at Eames. "Remind me to tell Deakins he has to water my plants."

Goren waited for a minute in the silence of the apartment. A safe house…ok, fine. Eames would be safe there with Logan and Barek to protect her. That was what he cared about most, that his partner was safe. Not having to worry about her would leave him free to do what he had to do and lure Nicole in for the capture. All that was left was for him to figure out how to do it and not lose Eames in the process. He certainly did not want her to worry about him, and he had to get around that, but he was even more concerned about betraying her trust. He had to be very careful not to do that. He had a lot of thinking to do.

He got up and headed out of the apartment, locking the door behind him.


	6. Making Things Right

Barek was looking through Eames' video cabinet, which they had set up and filled earlier when the guys were at Goren's dealing with Wallace's latest menace. Logan was looking over her shoulder. "Quit breathing on me, Mike. You need to ease up on the garlic and onions if you want to get this close to me."

He grinned, a mischievous spark in his eye. "If I do ease up, can I get closer?"

She swung at him as he jumped back. "Don't be a pig. At least I let you within three feet of me."

"Of course you do. That's striking range."

She looked at him and they both laughed.

Across the room, Eames was sitting on one end of the couch, her brooding partner on the other. He had slumped into his corner of the couch, head resting back, looking toward the ceiling but seeing only whatever it was his mind was letting him see. Ok, she'd had enough of this bullshit. Reenergized by a decent meal and no longer angry at him, she slid across the couch, closing the distance between them. He looked at her, but there was no real reaction from him. She hadn't realized he was that troubled, that lost in his thoughts. She felt at least partially responsible for driving him there. Ah, well, time to draw him out.

Goren looked at his partner, but he wasn't really seeing her. His mind was far away, with his thoughts. He was still deeply unsettled by what had transpired during the night, and even more troubled by Eames' unrest. He felt responsible for how worried she was. He couldn't blame her for being angry with him. For the second time he had placed himself in a potentially fatal situation with Nicole Wallace. Twice now he had waltzed his stupid ass right into it. She was dead on right with that assessment. He had to be very careful now not to do it again. The third time was a charm, and he did not want that written on his tombstone. He hoped the safe house was the right place for them to find safety. He didn't want any harm to come to her, or to Logan and Barek. He liked Barek a lot; she had almost as much spunk as Eames did. Neither of them took any crap from their partners, and Barek certainly had her work cut out for her. Logan gave her a lot of crap. And Logan…he was becoming as close to a friend as he had ever had in the department, aside from Eames. No, he wouldn't be able to bear the guilt if anything happened to any one of them at Wallace's hand. This was his burden to bear. Not theirs. Enough blood had been shed…

His train of thought suddenly abandoned him. Like waking from a bad dream, he came back to the present suddenly, disoriented and confused. Eames had found a place beside him. She snuggled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder. When that had failed to draw him out, she had slowly unbuttoned his shirt, gently fondling the soft curls that covered his chest. But it was the whispering in his ear that had drawn him from his thoughts. He had no idea what she had said. It didn't matter. He turned his head toward her and she smiled, a relaxed, content smile. She had him and she knew it. He slid his arm around her and held her close. Instead of focusing on his thoughts, he focused on her…the gentle caresses of her hand…he closed his hand over hers, stopping it from moving any more.

"Something wrong?" she asked innocently.

"Not yet," he answered.

She laughed quietly and he smiled. Logan and Barek moved away from the cabinet and Barek grinned at the couple on the couch. "Nice to see you smiling, Bobby. You feeling better?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Logan dropped onto the couch at the end Eames had abandoned. "Keep it up, then, Eames."

"Keep what up?"

"Whatever you're doing. He's a pain in the ass when he's brooding."

Goren looked at him. "I wasn't brooding."

"What do you call it?"

"I was thinking."

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to."

Barek slipped the DVD into the player. Eames asked, "What are we watching?"

She dropped into the recliner, which she had warned Logan he'd better not sit in if he knew what was good for him. He had tried once before to usurp her spot, and he still remembered that bruise. It had taken trial and error, mostly error, on his part, but he had learned that when his partner meant business, it was in his best interest to listen to her. "_Ghostbusters_," she answered.

"We tried to find something that wouldn't make Einstein there think too much," Logan replied.

Eames laughed. "I don't think there's anything on the planet that can't get him thinking."

Goren looked at his partner, admitting, but only to himself, that he wasn't doing a whole lot of thinking at the moment.

Eames spent the entire movie gently teasing him, keeping him from retreating back into himself, but deliberately stopping before he could get too worked up. "What the hell are you doing?" he murmured into her ear.

"Taking care of my partner," she softly replied. "Remember I promised you I'd never let you lose your mind?"

"Damn it, Eames…"

"Shhhh…watch the movie."

He nuzzled her ear. "Is it safe for me to assume you're no longer mad at me?"

She turned into him and answered him with a kiss. Logan leaned toward them and whispered, "Come up for air, guys." Eames smacked him. "Ow! You're spending too much time with Barek."

Goren had leaned back and stretched out his legs. "You asked for that, Mike."

Logan grinned and mimicked Goren's position, stretching his arms over his head. "Yeah, but it was worth it."

He spun quickly, flipping over the arm of the couch before Eames could smack him again. As he walked behind the couch, he tapped Goren on the back of the head. "I'm gonna have to teach you to be more of a smart ass so I'm not the only one getting smacked."

"Maybe you should figure out when to keep that mouth of yours shut."

He disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a soda. "Yeah, but where's the fun in that? Besides," he leaned closer to Goren. "It's easy to make Barek smile when I'm a smart ass. I don't go in for the charm angle like you do."

Goren half-grinned. "I guess I'm just not as much of a masochist as you are."

Logan laughed. "Maybe not."

---------------------------------------

The thunder rumbled in the distance as the rain began. The gentle patter of raindrops drifted in the partially open window as the curtains billowed in the cool, damp breeze. Eames snuggled closer to him, again letting her hand stray across his chest. He took a deep breath and kissed her forehead. "I thought you were sleeping," she whispered.

"No."

"Thinking?"

"Of course."

"About what?"

"You." That much was the truth. He was thinking about her. He was feeling better about leaving the city for the time being, getting her away from the danger Wallace presented…getting them all away from that danger. He still hadn't figured out how he was going to manage keeping them safe while he made sure Wallace didn't cause any more harm. Would he put himself in harm's way? Not if he could help it. He kissed her again. But he would protect her, any way he had to. And Logan and Barek? He'd brought them into this. Logan might squawk about things from time to time, but he'd entered this willingly. And Barek had not uttered a single complaint about being drawn along into the maelstrom.

The thunder was getting louder and Eames, almost asleep, nestled closer to him. He turned his thoughts to her, and his mind settled for the time being. He was finally able to drift off to sleep with her safe in his arms.


	7. The Safe House

**A/N: I replaced this chapter to fix a minor canonical error. Nothing else was changed.

* * *

**

The doorbell rang bright and early the next morning. Barek came out of the kitchen and opened the door. Deakins smiled at her from the hallway. "Are you the designated doorman?"

"It would seem so. Come on in, Captain."

"Everyone's ok?"

"Yeah. We're fine."

"Is Goren still in a funk?"

"Nah. We got him out of that. He is worried about his mother, though."

Deakins nodded. "I know. But he doesn't want her becoming a target, too. He knows I'll check on her. I always do when I have to send him out of town, so she knows me."

Logan wandered out of the kitchen with a mug of coffee. "Coffee's ready. Oh, hi, Captain."

"Mike. Where are Goren and Eames, or don't I want to know?"

Barek answered, "Alex is getting dressed and Bobby's in the shower."

"Everyone's packed?"

"Yep," Logan said.

"Did Goren make arrangements for his apartment?"

Barek answered, "He called the landlord and talked with him. Lewis is going to keep his stuff for him in a back room at his garage, until we get back and he can find another place. Everything's square."

Deakins nodded. "Good."

The bedroom door opened and Eames came out. "Good morning, Captain."

"Hi, Alex."

"Coffee's ready," Logan told her. He looked back at Deakins. "Are you our ride?"

"I'm afraid so."

Without looking up from buttering her bagel at the table, Barek replied, "It could be worse, Cap. We could be heading up there with Logan giving directions. He can't direct his way out of a paper bag."

"Well, at least with you driving, we'd get nowhere in record time."

Eames chuckled as she spooned sugar into her coffee. "This is like going off to camp."

The bedroom door opened again and Goren came out, buttoning the last few buttons on his shirt. Logan grinned. "Look how nice he cleans up."

Goren took a playful swing at him, and Logan grabbed his fist and laughed. Deakins smiled at his detectives. "I'm glad to see you are all in such good moods. Finish your breakfasts and let's get on the road."

"At least it's Sunday," Eames pointed out. "We shouldn't run into much traffic."

Goren poured himself a cup of coffee and said to Deakins, "I called Carmel Ridge. I told them not to allow any visitors except you and your wife. Mom likes your wife."

Deakins smiled at him. "All right. Don't worry about her, Bobby. She'll be fine."

Forty-five minutes later they were heading out of the city toward the safe house the four detectives would call home until Nicole Wallace was safely behind bars for good.

-------------------------------------------

Deakins turned off the highway onto a dirt road. Logan looked skeptical. "A dirt road? Oh, man!"

Deakins said, "Don't be judgmental. I think you guys are going to like this place. And it's off the beaten path, so it's very unlikely anyone is going to find you. The place is fully stocked, and I'll be out next week with supplies." He pulled a phone from his jacket pocket and handed it to Barek, who was sitting in the passenger seat. "If you need anything, or you have to get in touch with me, use this and only this. You all need to hand over your phones before I go. Especially you, Goren, since Wallace has your number."

"Right."

Eames slid her hand into his when he tensed at the mention of Wallace's name. He gently squeezed her hand. Sighing, he said, "Captain?"

Deakins glanced into the rearview mirror. "What, Bobby?"

"Two things. First, would you mind calling to let me know how my mom is after you see her?"

"Not a problem. The other thing?"

He hesitated. "Let me know what's going on with the case. Y-you know, if she…turns up."

Deakins looked at him again before he finally nodded. "Ok, I will, but only if I have your word you're not going to do anything stupid."

He nodded. "I won't."

Deakins shifted his head to look at Eames. "Alex?"

"I'll do what I can, Captain."

She ran her fingers along the outside leg of his jeans where his leg rested against hers. He looked at her, eyes bright, and he smiled, capturing her offending hand and holding it firmly.

Logan was still watching out the window at the deepening woods, missing the entire exchange. "Are we in Canada yet?" he grumbled.

Deakins smiled. "The cabin is on a nice lake. Good fishing."

Goren looked suspiciously at his captain. "This isn't a registered safe house, is it?"

"It's not an FBI safe house."

"Thank God," Barek sighed. "Every criminal in the country has his own list of the FBI's safe houses."

"Captain?" Goren pressed. "It's not owned by the department either, is it?"

"No."

"How many people know where we are?"

"Just me. I have the four of you signed out for temporary duty in Kansas."

"Kansas?" Logan asked. "What the hell is in Kansas?"

"Not us, moron," Barek replied.

"It's your cabin, isn't it?" Goren continued.

Logan looked at him. "You're like a friggin' pit bull when you get something on your mind, aren't you?"

Goren glanced at him, then looked back at the captain. Deakins nodded. "Yes. It's my cabin. You're the only one who's been out here before."

The big cop nodded. He reached across his partner to nudge Logan. "The fishing really is great."

"What's the cabin like?" Logan looked out the window again, still uncertain.

Goren just smiled. "Try not to worry unless you're certain you have something to worry about, Mike."

Deakins pulled into a cleared area and broke through the encroaching trees to a small parking area. Situated on a rise above them was a large cabin, and 400 yards down the rise on the opposite side was the lake. A private dock extended into the water. They got out of the car and looked around. Deakins smiled. "See, Mike? It's not so bad. I take care of my people…especially my best teams of detectives. My dad left me this cabin when he died. I grew up spending summers here, and so have my girls. It's not much different now…more trees and undergrowth, but still remote and quiet. Out back there's a shed; the boat's in there. If you're in a mood to row, it's got oars and oarlocks, or there's an outboard in the shed. Bobby knows how to run it."

He led them up the stairs onto a large screened in porch. Pulling the keys from his pocket, he unlocked the front door and they went into the cabin. They stood in a huge central room. Deakins pointed up the stairs where a railing ran the entire way around the upper level. There were four doors along the walls. "Four bedrooms upstairs." He pointed to corresponding doors along the lower level. "Den, office, kitchen, game room…and down this hall, two bathrooms, one on the left and one on the right. There's a pool table in the game room, and a bunch of games. My girls love to sit out on the porch and play board games. The kitchen's fully stocked, the TV's in that cabinet over there. DVD's are in that cabinet across the room. We've got satellite…no cable this far out. Make yourselves at home. Let's get the car unloaded, guys."

Barek and Eames watched their partners leave with Deakins. "Wow, look at this place, will you?" Barek said.

"No one can say Deakins doesn't take care of his people." She looked to make sure her partner wasn't in earshot. "I don't expect Wallace to find us out here."

"Do you expect them to find her in the city?"

"Bobby doesn't."

"Of course he doesn't."

"I tend to agree with him, Carolyn. She seeks him out. If he's not around, I doubt she's going to make an appearance. They are going to have to look hard to find the rock she's under."

"I hope they don't have to look for too long. I mean, this place is great, but I don't know how up I am for being around Logan 24/7. He's a great partner, and I really do like him, but he drives me up a wall sometimes, and I need a break. Don't you need a break from Bobby? His intensity has got to be hard to take sometimes."

"Sometimes. But Bobby usually knows when to back off. Remember, we've been partners for a long time. We…know how to read each other, and we've learned to give each other space when we need it."

"How'd you train him to do that?"

Eames laughed. "I didn't. He trained me."

"Ow!" They heard Logan yell from the porch, accompanied by the bang of a slamming screen door.

"Watch out for the spring on that door, Logan," Goren warned, too late.

"Thanks, Goren. Shit, that hurt." He came into the cabin with two suitcases. "I am not even going to ask what you two packed."

"At least I came with more than a paper bag," Barek retorted.

"I don't have a paper bag," he protested. "It's a gym bag."

Goren was behind him with Logan's gym bag and another suitcase, smaller than the two Logan carried. Deakins followed with two paper bags of groceries, handing them off to Goren, who carried them in to the kitchen. "Well, I've got to be getting back to the city. Oh, there's a washer and dryer down under the porch. Hand over those phones." They each gave him their cell phones and he slid them into his pocket. "Ok, now, you kids behave yourselves. Call me if you need anything and, for God's sake, stay put."

Logan gave Goren a gentle shove. "That was for your benefit."

Goren looked at him. "Thanks. I think I figured that out."

"Just wanted to be sure."

Deakins looked at Barek and Eames. "Good luck."

He smiled and headed out of the cabin. Logan rubbed his hands together. "Ok, guys, Dad's gone now. What do you want to do?"

Barek grinned at him. "First dibs on bedrooms!"

She ran up the stairs with Logan right behind her. Goren looked at his partner with a smile. She asked, "When were you out here?"

"I think it was after partner number five went packing. I guess the captain felt sorry for me," he grinned. "I had fun with his family. His girls are sweet."

"Sweet on you?" she teased.

"Not that I know of..." He suddenly looked worried. "I hope not. They're just kids…"

"Not any more, they're not. Once a girl hits puberty, all bets are off."

"No…"

"Yes." She gave him a quick kiss and headed up the stairs to claim her bedroom.

He sat down on the couch and sighed heavily. Eames looked over the railing down at her partner. "Bobby?"

He looked up. "What?"

She pointed across the cabin. "Logan and Barek have those two rooms, so these two over here are ours."

"Ok." He got up and grabbed their bags, bringing them up the stairs. Logan passed him at a run, with Barek close behind. He hit the front door and was across the porch, through the screen door and down the hill before Goren got to the bedroom doors. He looked at Eames with half a smile. "I wonder what he said now."


	8. Troubled Thoughts

Deakins was almost back to the city when one of the phones in his pocket began to ring. He pulled off onto the shoulder and began pulling out phones. The third one was the ringer. It was Goren's. "Hello?"

There was a hesitation, then a woman's voice, "You're not Bobby."

Deakins felt his gut clench. He knew the voice. "No, I'm not."

"Is this the captain? Are you protecting your boy?"

"Yes, this is the captain, and no, I am not protecting him. Detective Goren is perfectly capable of protecting himself."

"Really? Then what was he doing five months ago in that Seaside motel, besides bleeding all over his sweet, little partner? Was that protecting himself?"

Deakins frowned but refused to take the bait. "What do you want, Nicole?"

"That's simple. I want your detectives. You can't keep them hidden forever."

That much was true. But he wasn't planning to keep them hidden forever. "They aren't being hidden. They're on a case that took them out of state."

See if she took his bait. "How fun for them. A field trip. Are you sure you trust Bobby with that adorable partner of his? He seems…taken with her." Again Deakins failed to take the bait. He remained silent. "What, no comment on that? It's against the rules, but I'm sure you know that. Is Bobby really that special, that you would bend the rules, just for him?" She laughed, and it was an evil, mirthless sound. "I really should let you know that I _will_ find your detectives."

"Since their assignment is classified, I kind of doubt that."

"Don't underestimate me. Look what happened to Bobby when he made that mistake. I'll be in touch again. When you talk to him, tell him I said hello. Good bye, Captain."

Deakins closed the phone and rubbed his face, waiting for his gut to slowly unclench. He sighed. He wasn't going to tell Goren just yet. Let him relax for a little while. If anyone needed to unwind, it was Bobby.

He slipped the car into gear and pulled back onto the road.

---------------------------------------------

The door to the cabin opened and closed. Logan came out onto the porch and stood by the door for a moment, watching Eames. She was on the far side of the porch, looking out toward the lake. Puzzled, it took him a moment before his eye caught what she was looking at.

He walked up behind her. "Kind of a loner, isn't he?"

She sighed. "Not really a loner, Mike. Just lonely."

Down by the lake, they both watched as Goren walked, stooping occasionally to pick up a rock and skip it across the water. "He's not upset or anything, is he?"

"No. Just thinking."

"Does he ever not think?"

She looked back at him. "Not usually."

The cabin door opened again and Barek joined them. She looked down toward the lake. "What's he doing?"

Logan looked at her. "What do you think he's doing?"

Eames had been undecided about whether or not to head down to the water and talk to him. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but she was afraid she had an idea. "I'll be back," she said, finally deciding he'd been alone long enough.

Goren looked up as she approached. He smiled at her, but there was a haunted look in his eyes that prevented the smile from reaching them. She sighed. "Penny for your thoughts?"

He just shook his head and continued walking along the water's edge. She fell in step beside him. "No?" she asked. "So is it because a penny's not enough or you're just not willing to share?"

"I'm just not willing to share."

She walked along beside him in silence for awhile. He was surprised that she didn't push it. But she didn't have to. She knew where his thoughts were. "You're thinking about Nicole," she said. His silence was all the answer she needed. She remained quiet a little while longer. "You're wondering what she's up to, who she's going to hurt next, when she's going to…find us."

He looked at her. "You…you worry about that, d-don't you? That…that she's going to find us."

His hesitancy told her that it really bothered him that she worried. "Yes," she answered. She looked up at him. "What else worries you?"

"You know what I worry about."

"Yes, I do. But I want to hear you say it. I want you to put your fears into words."

He stooped over to pick up a stone, skipping it across the water. "I…I worry about you…about Barek and Logan. I…I don't want there to be…any more victims. Not one of you asked for this." He wouldn't look at her. "But all three of you got…drawn in by her…because of me."

"Can you change any of it?" He shook his head. "Then quit brooding. The best we can do—the only thing we can do—is be ready."

"'We…'" He picked up a stick and turned it over in his hands. "That's just it. She's turned 'me' into 'us.' She knows me, Alex. She can only…hurt me so much with my past. But my present?" He finally looked at her. "She can destroy me with that, and she's figured that out."

Eames knew that nothing she could say could change what he'd just said. She also knew how very true it was. Softly she said, "I'm not going to let her destroy you."

He snapped the stick in half. "Five months ago she nearly did."

"But now we know."

He shook his head. "How can I put you—and them—at any further risk?"

She stepped in front of him, placing both hands against his chest. "It's out of your hands. Do you care about me, Bobby?"

"Of course I do."

"So you care about how I feel…what I think?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, listen to me. You aren't the only one who worries. I worry, too… about you. I know you are concerned about Nicole hurting me. But I want you to bear this in mind. She _can_ hurt me and she never has to touch me. She can devastate my life by taking you from it. I know you understand that. I want you to keep that in your mind. Remember, it's not all about you and how you feel." He looked down between her arms at the ground. That was something he truly wished she hadn't said…because it changed things. At some level, he had always know she felt that way, but unspoken it had been easier for him to discount it.

"I wish you hadn't said that," he said softly.

"I know. That's why I said it."

"Damn it, Eames…"

"I know you better than you realize, Goren. Sometimes it scares me." He finally raised his eyes to meet hers. She saw the smile there. "You don't have to like it. Just accept it."

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No, you don't."

"Just like you won't give me a choice about letting you watch out for me."

"Exactly." She touched his cheek, sliding her hand behind his head and drawing him closer. She teased his lips with hers. Groaning softly, he pulled her close and kissed her firmly.

When Eames stepped into his arms, Barek stepped away from the edge of the porch. She grabbed Logan's arm and yanked him with her. "Give them some privacy, you pervert."

"Hey, it's not like he's gonna…"

"It doesn't matter, Logan. Come on. Let's see about getting dinner on."


	9. A Call From Deakins

Logan had his head in the freezer. "All the meat's frozen."

Barek was looking for pots and pans. "What do you think microwaves are for? You defrost it before you cook it. What's in there?"

"Let's see. Steak, chicken, pork chops, some sausage, a couple of roasts, and this…" He pulled out a long, foil-wrapped package. "It says something, but I can't make it out."

Barek stood up from where she was digging around in a cabinet beside the stove. She looked over his arm at the package. "It says 'trout.' That's a fish."

"I know what a trout is."

"Grab the chicken and put the trout in the fridge. We can have it tomorrow. Microwaves don't like foil too well."

"No, they don't. I damn near set my kitchen on fire one day trying to cook with foil."

Barek snickered as she pulled out two pots. "You can use the stove or the oven, you know."

"I'm not Emeril, Barek."

She laughed as she crossed the room and opened the pantry. "We've got green beans, peas, mixed vegetables…"

"Keep going."

"What about corn? You like corn?"

"Yeah, I can handle corn."

"How 'bout Brussels sprouts?"

"I'm not a vegetable person."

"So, give you a hot dog and you're happy?"

"No. Give me two or three hot dogs and I'm content. I need a steak or something substantial to make me happy."

"Well, you're going to have some vegetables. They're good for you."

She put two cans on the counter and set about searching for the can opener. Logan had pulled a package of chicken from the refrigerator and put it in the microwave. Hitting the defrost button a couple of times, he pressed 'start.' "Ok, chicken's defrosting and you're vegetating there. Now what?"

Barek smiled at him. "Vegetating?" She shook her head. "Do you know how to work a grill?"

"That I can do."

"Then go and do it."

He saluted her and she threw a sponge at him as he ran for the back door. Laughing to herself, she finally found the can opener and set to opening the cans.

-----------------------------------

Barek leaned back in a lounge chair on the back porch as Logan grilled the chicken. They heard footsteps on the stairs leading up onto the porch. Logan glanced at the stairs as Eames came up onto the porch, followed by her partner. Barek looked over her shoulder. "Hope you guys like chicken."

Eames sat in a chair near her. "Chicken's fine."

Barek looked at Goren, who'd taken a seat on the bench that ran around the perimeter of the deck. "Bobby?"

He looked up, distracted. "Hm?"

"Chicken?"

He looked confused until it dawned on him that Logan was grilling chicken. "Oh, yeah. Chicken's fine."

Barek looked at Eames, who just shrugged. She was used to it; he often retreated into himself when he was troubled, and she knew only too well how troubled he was right now. She watched him as he turned away, looking out into the dense forest that surrounded the cabin.

All four of them heard the phone ring, and they looked at each other. Eames jumped up and ran into the house. Barek also got up and stood in the doorway, watching her. She flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

"Alex?"

"Hi, Captain."

"Everything ok out there?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

The captain sighed. "I had a phone call."

She tensed. "Go on."

Goren got to his feet and crossed the deck, standing directly behind Barek. He put his hand on the door above her and leaned on it. Logan watched him, and frowned, but he knew better than to say a word.

Deakins said, "Wallace called Goren's phone."

Eames swore. "What did she say?"

Barek didn't need to look at Goren to know how much he had tensed at that question. She could _feel_ his tension. She touched his arm, tipping her head backwards to look up at him. He gave her a tight smile. Logan turned back to the grill, flipping a piece of chicken a little too hard and sending it skittering across the deck. Barek frowned at him. "It's already dead, Logan. What the hell are you doing?"

He just shook his head and went after the drumstick.

Deakins said, "Just more bullshit I paid no attention to. But one thing she said did bother me. She told me she is _going_ to find the four of you." Eames felt the color drain from her face as a knot formed in her stomach. "Now I don't know how she can, since no one knows where you are but me, not even my wife. But I needed to warn you."

"We'll be careful. Thanks for calling."

"Call me if anything comes up. I'll have this phone with me all the time."

"Ok. Thanks, Captain."

She turned away from the door, so Goren, in particular, would not see that her hands were shaking. She set the phone down on the counter. Turning back toward the porch, she approached the door. "Wallace called on your phone, Bobby."

He stepped back as Barek moved out of the way, letting Eames come back out onto the porch. He swung the door shut after her, unintentionally slamming it. She looked at him. "Sorry," he muttered.

She took a deep breath. "She told Deakins she is going to find us. He swears no one else knows we're here, not even his wife. So he doesn't know how she can…"

Logan didn't look up from the grill, flipping the chicken again. Barek frowned at him; something was bothering him, and she assumed it was the call. She looked at Goren, who hadn't said a word. He had returned to where he'd been sitting and refused to look at anyone, not even Eames. Finally she looked at Eames, who was the only one who would meet her eyes. Some color had returned to her face, but her stomach was still knotted. "_Can_ she find us?" she asked, not directing her question toward anyone in particular.

No one answered her.


	10. Stargazing

Goren was lying on the back deck in the dark, watching the night sky through the trees. He heard the door open and close, but he didn't move. "What are you looking at?" Eames asked quietly, following his gaze up toward the heavens.

"Just the stars."

She sat down on the deck beside him. "And what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing specific…just random things." He laughed, and she wasn't sure, but it sounded almost bitter. "The random wanderings of a cluttered mind."

"Let me wander with you."

"No, Alex. My mind can be a scary place."

She sat facing him, trying to read his face, but he was hiding from her. That annoyed her. "I've been to scary places, Bobby."

"But I never took you there."

"Bullshit. Where do you think I was five months ago, when I thought you were dying? I've never been to a scarier place in my life, and I somehow doubt I ever will be." She drew her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She took a deep breath, to keep herself steady; those memories still could make her tremble. Her lungs filled with the scent of his cologne. Every time she smelled this scent, she thought of him, and all it ever did these days was make her...want. She wanted...him...to be near him, to touch him, to kiss him…which was damn inconvenient when they were in the middle of a case.

"Please don't shut me out. I don't want to be shut out of your life."

"I'm not shutting you out."

"Then let me be a part of you."

"Alex, you are a part of me. You're the sane part, the part that keeps me from stepping over into a very dark place and never coming back. Never forget that."

She reached her hand toward him, lightly touching his cheek. "I don't forget it," she assured him. Behind her, the door opened again. Logan and Barek both came out onto the deck and sat near each other on the perimeter bench. "So," Logan began. "What are we doing out here in the dark?"

"Looking at the stars," Goren replied.

Eames lay back on the deck, resting her head against her partner's chest. Logan and Barek leaned back, each casting their eyes skyward. Silence fell upon the deck as the four detectives watched the stars and let their thoughts wander.

Logan thought about Eames. She, in particular, had been pretty shaken by Deakins' call, but she had been through a real ordeal at Wallace's hands. Not only had she been taken hostage, but she'd damn near lost Goren, too. Goren's initial response to the call, like his own, had been anger, and then he had withdrawn. As for Barek… thankfully, his partner had never had to deal with Wallace. She knew the history, but she had no real idea of what they were dealing with. She'd read the casefiles. She knew that Nicole was manipulative and devious. She knew that she had some sort of thing for Goren and that she had nearly killed him. But she had never met Nicole Wallace. She had never danced with the devil…

Barek was glad to see Eames was relaxing again. Attention from her partner, who had returned from wherever it was his mind had taken him, went a long way toward helping her unwind. And Logan seemed to have gotten over whatever it was that had rattled him earlier. It had to have been the call…and that brought her mind to an entirely new subject: Nicole Wallace. Although she was certain she didn't _want_ to meet Wallace, she would never hesitate to act if they were threatened, or to back up any one of them. The fact that she was also targeted didn't trouble her as much as it did the others. They _had_ to be exaggerating the threat…

Eames was somewhat reassured by the captain's assertion that there was no way Wallace could find them, but she still had a nagging worry at the back of her mind, like the whine of a mosquito, that kept telling her _never say never_. It troubled her to no end that Goren could not, or would not, reassure her like Deakins had. He had to feel, at some level, that the threat was still there, even if he would not voice it to them. She knew him too well. She sighed deeply. There would be no reassurance until the threat was gone…

Goren heard Eames sigh and he gently brought his arm up to hold her, a protective gesture. He wanted badly to reassure her, but even more than that, he wanted her to be safe. If he reassured her, she wouldn't be as on edge, and that could be a fatal mistake. He was done making mistakes, dammit! He knew that Wallace's threat, like all the ones that had come before, would be cloaked in a fog of deceit. Nothing was as it seemed with her, and he was not going to settle into complacency because they were out in the woods and she didn't know where they were…yet…

Barek broke the silence. "Do you know any of the constellations, Bobby?"

"Why are you asking him?" Logan said, almost testily.

"Do you know any?"

"A couple."

Goren laughed quietly. "Go for it, Mike."

Logan studied the sky. "Ok…there's the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper….Don't they have something to do with bears?"

"The alternate names for the constellations..." Goren hinted.

"Oh, yeah...the Big Bear and the Little Bear, right?"

Goren smiled. "Right."

Proud of himself, Logan stretched out his arms along the back of the bench. His hand brushed along Barek's shoulder, and he left it there. She smiled. Of all things…she was finding that her partner really was growing on her. He annoyed her less lately, and made her laugh more. That, she knew, was a very good thing.

For what seemed a very long time, the four of them watched the stars. With her head resting on Goren's chest and her fingers gently tracing abstract figures on his arm, Eames could tell, as his breathing slowed and deepened, that he had fallen asleep. She just enjoyed being close to him, until she felt herself dozing off. Then she knew it was time to head inside, to bed. She sat up slowly and stretched. "Well, I'm going to bed."

Gently, she shook her partner. "Hey, Bobby. Are you going to bed or are you going to sleep out here on the deck?"

He groaned and rolled on to his side, pushing himself up and getting to his feet. He held out a hand to Eames. Sliding her hand into his, she let him help her up. They said good night and disappeared into the cabin.

Logan looked at his partner. "I suppose we should head in, too."

"You know, this isn't a competition, Mike."

"What's not?"

"Between you and Bobby. In case you haven't noticed, he doesn't have eyes for anyone but her."

"I…geez, Barek, I wasn't trying to compete with him. I just don't like being ignored. We all know Goren's smart and he knows a hell of a lot about almost everything…but you know, I'm not stupid."

"No one ever said you were." Leaning closer, she gave him a gentle kiss. "Good night, Mike."

He watched her go into the cabin, and he wondered what the hell that could mean.


	11. Fishing Expedition

Goren studied the balls on the table and looked at Logan, who frowned. "Call it," he dared.

Goren's mouth twitched. "Three ball, corner pocket."

"Which corner?"

He pointed. Logan shook his head. "You'd have to double bank it to make that."

"And?"

"I'll give you five dollars if you make it."

Goren laughed. Barek and Eames looked up from their game of Chinese checkers. The four of them were actually enjoying the games that were stacked in the cabinet at the far end of the room, although Eames, Barek and Logan refused to play _Clue_ with Goren any more. That was fine with him…he got bored with it quickly. He chalked up the cue stick and leaned over the table. The women heard the cue ball hit the three…then the first bank, the second bank and Logan's "No way!"

Eames said, "You should know better, Mike. That's the third time you've challenged him this morning, and you've lost every time."

Barek didn't look up. "It takes him a few times before he learns his lesson sometimes."

Logan opened his mouth to say something, but fell silent when they heard a car pull up outside the cabin. His hand strayed to the gun on his belt, but Goren held up a hand. "It's Deakins."

"Now how the hell do you know that?"

"First of all it's Sunday. Secondly, Wallace would never be _that_ bold."

Eames frowned. "And she'd never stab you either, right, Goren?"

A dark look crossed his face, shadowing his eyes, but she ignored it, getting up from the table and heading out of the room. "Eames…" he started after her, grabbing her arm gently at the doorway.

"It's Deakins, remember?" she snapped, pulling her arm from his hand and heading for the front door. Every time he said something stupid that showed he still had that tendency to underestimate Nicole, Eames blew up at him. She was already across the porch and at the screen door when he caught her again. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I get your point, ok?"

"You always get it, Bobby, but you never learn from it."

She was gone through the door. Barek came up behind him and laid a comforting hand on his back. "She'll get over it," she soothed.

Logan put his hands on her shoulders and said, "She will, but he won't."

He slipped past her and went out the door after Eames. Goren held the door open for Barek. "I just need to quit talking," he grumbled, following her down the stairs.

Goren was surprised to see Angie had accompanied her husband on the visit. She was standing beside him at the back of the car, where Deakins had the trunk open so they could unload the groceries and supplies he had brought. Eames was already halfway back to the house with an armful of groceries. Normally, Goren would take them for her, but she met his eyes before he got close enough and he knew better. Barek and Logan also grabbed groceries and headed for the cabin. Goren approached the car, and Angie came over to him, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "Hello, Bobby."

"Hello, Mrs. Deakins."

She took a bag from the trunk and headed to the cabin. But when Goren started for the last few bags, Deakins laid a hand on his arm and said, "Let them get it. Come with me."

A knot formed in the big detective's gut, but he didn't say anything. He followed the captain away from the cabin, toward the lake. When he was sure they were out of earshot of the others, Deakins said, "A couple of things. First, Angie and I went out to visit your mother twice this week. Wednesday's your normal visit, right?" He nodded. "She was fine on Wednesday, happy to see us. She sent her love. We went back yesterday, and she wasn't having such a good day, but she's ok. We've seen her worse."

"But?"

Deakins took a deep breath. "Someone tried to get in to see her on Thursday."

Goren felt his heart lurch. "Who?"

"A blonde woman pretending to be Alex."

"No…"

"The staff followed your orders and refused to let her in. One of the clerks actually remembered Alex from a previous visit, and she knew that it wasn't her. They called me right after she left, so of course by the time the locals out there responded she was long gone. They've tightened everything down out there, and they know if anyone comes looking to see her, they're to call the police immediately, then me, and do their best to keep her there." He watched several intense emotions play across Goren's face. "She's ok, Bobby. I'm watching out for her, just like I promised."

Goren nodded, agitated. "All right…thanks. What else?"

"She's getting desperate. She also contacted your friend Lewis."

"Is he ok?"

"Yes. She didn't hurt him. Did you ever warn him about her?"

"No. I didn't think she knew anything about him." He'd underestimated her again…

"She tried to seduce him…but took off when she realized he honestly believes you're off on a case in the Midwest someplace. He called me as soon as he realized something wasn't right."

"That probably took a little while." Lewis was a great guy, and a great friend, but he could be a little slow on the uptake, especially where women were concerned.

"He'll let me know if he sees her again, and I warned him to be careful."

"Call him and tell him it might be a good time to take that vacation he's been wanting to take and visit his folks down in Florida."

"I will." Deakins stopped, turning to look at him. "Bobby… Angie refuses to leave but I sent all three of my girls to stay with their grandparents."

"W-Why?"

"Let's just say she's casting a wider net…she is dead serious about finding you four."

"Let's just say you tell me exactly what's going on."

"She talked with Emily after school the other day." Emily was the Deakins' youngest daughter, a high school junior. "I don't know what she thought she was going to get from her, but I won't take any risks with my family." He hesitated. "They're safe, and this is not your fault. Got it?" Goren didn't answer. "I just want you to be careful out here. Just in case. You know better than anyone how crafty and resourceful she is. I've done everything I can to safeguard anyone who is close to you. I warned John Eames so he can protect his family, but he also thinks you are all out in Kansas. Logan and Barek don't have any close family in the area, and I doubt she would target them anyway. Alex is a lot closer to this than they are."

Goren ran his hand over his hair and held the back of his neck. He was trying not to shake too badly, but he was losing his grip on his anger. Deakins could see that, but he wasn't sure what to do. "Let's head back to the cabin."

But Goren shook his head. "No. I…I don't want them to know."

"They're going to know something's up. Alex is going to know. You can't hide from her. You never could."

He was right. He would have to tell them. "All right, but let me tell them, after you've gone."

Deakins agreed. He watched Goren try to burn off some of his anger, pacing and struggling to calm himself down. It was an effort Carver would have called Herculean. He didn't know anyone else who would use that term. After twenty minutes, he could see that Goren had a handle on it, mostly. He also knew that Eames was going to take one look at him and know something was very wrong. Well, he would leave that to them. If nothing else, Eames knew how to handle her partner.

They headed back to the cabin. And Deakins had been right. He could see it in Eames' eyes as soon as she saw them approach. "Ok," he said, offering nothing in the way of explanation for why he and Goren had gone off by themselves. "We're going to take off. We still have a lot to do today, so we can't stay. Remember to call me if you need anything." He looked at Goren. "Be careful."

They watched the car disappear among the trees and three pairs of eyes turned to Goren. "Well?" Logan asked

"Well what?"

"Come on…what did Deakins tell you?"

"Nothing," he insisted. "He just wanted to let me know they went out to see my mother and she wasn't having a very good day. That's all."

Barek looked suspicious, and Eames simply knew better. "Are you sure that's it?" Barek asked.

He nodded. "I'm sure."

They watched him head up the steps on to the porch and heard the cabin door close. Barek looked at Eames. "Do you believe him?"

"No. Well, I think that's just part of it. There's something else he's not telling us, something that's got him all worked up."

Logan frowned. "How can you tell?"

Barek gave him a shove away from the cabin. "Go talk to him, Alex. I'll take Mr. Sensitivity here for a nice walk."

"What?" Logan protested as Barek led him away and Eames headed up the steps and into the cabin.


	12. Us Or Nothing

She kept her hand tucked firmly in his as she led him away from the cabin. He followed; it wasn't like he had a choice. "Ok, now tell me…what the hell did I miss?"

"You could stand in the middle of the tracks and miss the train, Mike. First, Deakins takes Bobby off alone for more than a half hour, and it wasn't to talk about his mother. Then, they come back and we could tell he was all worked up. You couldn't see that?"

"That's my point, Carolyn. He's _always_ all worked up."

"You're a damn detective, place it in context. He wasn't like that when we went out to the car."

"Yes, he was. Remember, Eames was mad at him."

"Not like that, Mike. Oh, why do I bother? You wouldn't notice the flames if your pants were on fire."

"I would so," he frowned.

She laughed. She was no longer leading him. They had arrived at the lakeside and were walking along its shore. The water lapped lazily at the edge of the land, and she walked beside him. She hadn't removed her hand from his. _That_ he noticed.

A gentle breeze blew through the trees, ruffling the leaves as it ruffled their hair. Coming across a fallen log, he sat down and guided her to sit beside him. "So how long do we have to traipse through the forest before it's safe to go back?"

"Let's just give her time to deal with him. He doesn't like to talk about what disturbs him, even with her. That drives her crazy. But she'll draw him out."

"Great…we'll be here awhile." He looked out across the water. "The first time I met them, he struck me as weird, and I wondered about her, too, for sticking with him. I haven't changed that opinion much. He _is_ weird. But I see why she stays."

"Why?" It was rare that her partner was insightful abut relationships and she wanted to hear what he had to say.

Brow furrowed, he looked at her. "Because he needs her to."

Barek nodded. That was exactly why Alex had decided to stay. But it wasn't why she still did. Then she noticed he was still looking at her. "What?"

"What about you? Why do you stay? I know I'm not the easiest guy in the world to get along with."

"That's true. You're not. But somebody has to keep your ass out of trouble. You kind of grow on a person after a while."

"Yeah, that's what my mom used to say."

"Well, you're not back on Staten Island yet, are you?"

"Hopefully we can keep it that way."

"As long as you curb that temper and don't hit any more councilmen, we shouldn't have a problem keeping you out of trouble."

He leaned toward her and kissed her forehead. She looked at him, dark eyes bright. Turning her face up toward his, she let his lips find hers, and she slid her arms around his neck. Trouble was a relative term.

------------------------------------------------

Eames opened the cabin door, not surprised to find her partner pacing the room. She closed the door quietly behind her and waited for him to notice her. And she waited. And waited. Fed up with waiting, she finally spoke up. "What the hell happened?"

He stopped pacing, looking toward her with surprise. "I…how long have you been there?"

"Too long. What is going on?"

"I…I did it again." He was pacing again. "I…I am really getting…fed up."

"Is your mom ok?"

He nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. Nicole…tried to get in to see her….by pretending she was you."

"Oh, Bobby…"

He stopped to look at her and waved off her response, rubbing the back of his neck. "They…knew better. I told them no visitors…and they recognized she wasn't you." He looked at the floor. "She…went after Lewis, too…and Deakins' daughter Emily."

Eames sat down heavily. "Oh, my God…are they ok?"

"Yeah, but they might not have been." He took off pacing again. "I…I underestimated her…again. I…never warned Lewis…I didn't think…I didn't think she knew…"

She felt another surge of irritation at him, but she choked it down. "What did she do to him?"

"Nothing…she just tried to get…information from him." He shook his head. "He didn't know anything."

She felt relieved. She liked Lewis. He had his own way of endearing himself to people, and he was one of Bobby's oldest and closest friends. "I'm glad Lewis is all right." She continued watching him travel around the room, and he wasn't calming any. "Is Emily ok?"

"Yeah. Deakins sent all three of his girls…to stay with their grandparents."

So…everyone was ok. Now for the hard part of the conversation. "What are you going to do?"

That made him stop. He looked at her, head tilted, thinking. "Do? I…I don't know. I don't have a whole lot of…options."

That much was true. Deakins was a very smart man. He hadn't left them a vehicle. Of course, that would be a minor hindrance to her stubborn partner if he had a mind to leave, which she was afraid he did. "Bobby?"

He turned toward her, but he didn't see her. His mind was elsewhere. She shook her head, getting up from the chair and walking over to him. "Stop pacing, dammit. I'm not going to chase you down."

"What?" His eyes cleared. "Oh, uh, sorry…"

She placed her hands on his arms and held onto him firmly. "Look at me, Goren."

He turned his eyes to hers. "Alex…"

"Not a word. Listen. I know you feel we have to do something, or that _you_ have to do something. And I know what you're thinking. But I want you to promise me that you're not going to take off alone." She wanted him to promise he wouldn't take off at all, but she knew he wasn't going to promise her that. She had to take what she could get.

"Why do you think I'd do that?"

"That's what you were planning, isn't it?"

"Well…"

"Damn it, Bobby!"

"Don't go getting mad again…please."

She took a deep breath, and she couldn't keep it from trembling as she exhaled. "If you take off, Bobby, I'm done with you."

A dark frown crept across his face. "What?"

She looked at him. "You heard me. I can't do this any more. I…I can't. If you want to take off and walk into her trap, go ahead. You won't be coming back."

"Alex…"

She met his eyes, tears brimming in hers. "And if you do…you're going to be looking for another partner."

"No…Alex…."

She sat down on the couch and he dropped down beside her. She looked at him, the pain in his eyes making it all the harder to keep the tears from falling. "When we became partners, you wouldn't include me on anything. It was all you. Then 'you' became 'us.' And now you're going back to 'you' again, and I can't deal with that. It's 'us' or it's nothing, and you have to make that choice. Either we face her together, or you're on your own, for good. Because one way, I'm going to lose you to her, permanently. The other way…we have a chance of coming out of it together…and staying that way. Together. It's your choice, Bobby."

He buried his head in his hands, shoulders slumped. Defeated. She hated to see him that way, but she knew, deep in her gut, that if he did something stupid, like take off to face Nicole alone, she would bury him. And that would kill her, too. She laid a hand on his back, gently rubbing, comforting.

He relaxed a little when her hand came to rest on his back, making small circles, trying to reassure. He wanted desperately to spare her any further contact with Nicole, but she wasn't going to let him do that. 'Us' or nothing. He truly would be nothing…that's what he was without her. How could he protect her if she wouldn't let him? He wasn't going to lose her. Nicole was _not_ going to come between them, and neither was the threat she posed to them. He wouldn't let it. Without making a sound, he turned toward her, pulling her into his arms. He covered her mouth with his, desperately seeking a response, and she gave it to him. He made his choice. As always, he chose her.


	13. Into the Storm

The _Monopoly_ board was set up on the table by the big front window, and three of the detectives were ready to begin the game. The room was dark, except for a floor lamp near the table. They looked across the room, where Goren stood almost in darkness at the other end of the big room, near the back door, looking out into the stormy night. Lightning silhouetted his frame against the windows. Logan sighed. "Come on, Goren. Give your mind a rest for a few hours and relax."

Goren didn't answer. Logan frowned at Eames. "What the hell did you say to him?"

He'd been in a real funk ever since he and Barek had returned to the cabin, not talking to anyone, not eating…just wandering near the windows, looking out into the woods. Eames shook her head. "Never mind. Let's just play."

Thunder rumbled overhead and more lightning lit up the room from time to time as the storm drew closer. Each of the detectives kept looking toward the back of the room, but Goren stayed where he was. Finally, Eames sighed in annoyance. "I'll be right back."

She got up and crossed the room. Her annoyance faded as she drew closer. He was still troubled, but his agitation had settled. She knew her ultimatum still had him rattled, and she felt badly about that. She hated to threaten him with their partnership, but if she hadn't she would end up losing him for good. She couldn't take that risk. Would she walk away from their partnership, from their friendship? Only if she had to. Only to keep him alive. But in doing so, she fully realized she would achieve something not even Nicole Wallace could. She would destroy him completely. She came up behind him and she saw him stiffen when he heard her approach. She wondered how long it was going to take her to get him out of this mood. But at least he would still be alive to be in a mood at all.

She stepped up beside him and looked out across the deck. "I know I hurt you," she said softly. "And I'm sorry about that. I don't want to hurt you. Far from it."

He looked at her. "But you _knew_…" He shook his head, stopping himself. He didn't want to go back there. So he voiced a diferent concern, not caring that it was the wrong thing to do. "How can I keep you safe, if you won't let me protect you?"

Her annoyance returned, full force. "I don't need protection, dammit. I need a damn partner, not a bodyguard! If you want to protect someone, join the Secret Service. Don't be a hero, Goren. I don't want another goddam partner! But if you go getting your stupid ass killed, that's just what's going to happen." He didn't answer, and that just made her angrier. She got between him and the window so she could fully face him. "If you really want to think, let me give you something to think about. You are determined to get Nicole this time around, and that's fine. So am I. But if you step into another situation, and this time she succeeds, and she kills you, where does that leave me? Think about that. If I am here to back you up, it doubles both our chances of coming out of this alive. But if you go into it alone, your chances are cut by more than half. Figure out that math, genius."

She shoved him out of the way and stormed back to the table. "Where were we?"

Logan looked across the room at Goren, who had watched her cross the room and return to the game. Then he turned back to the window. Both he and Barek had heard her yell at him. And they side-stepped entering into a conversation about it with either of them. It hadn't worked earlier, and it wasn't going to work now. So they simply looked at one another and returned to the game, doing their best to ignore the tension in the air.

Goren watched the woods beyond the cabin, illuminated by the storm. He was frustrated and angry. If he wanted to think…she knew him well enough by now…well, that was just her point. She did know him well enough. Just planting the suggestion was enough. He…what was that? He swore he saw movement among the trees. A deer, maybe? No. Not big enough. Another flash…and more movement. "Logan," he called. He'd be damned if he'd call his partner over right now. But something in his tone brought all three of them to the window. "I think I'm seeing things," he muttered. "Watch the woods…I swear I saw someone out there."

"Out there? In this storm? You sure it wasn't a bear or a tiger or something?"

Goren looked at him. "A tiger?"

"I don't know what the hell lurks in these woods."

He looked back out the window. "Not tigers."

Another flash…but the figure was gone. "I didn't see anything," Barek said.

"Neither did I," Eames snapped. "You must be seeing things."

She walked away from the group. Only Barek noticed when Goren's shoulders sagged a little. She followed Eames across the room, Logan not far behind her. "Don't you think you're being a little hard on him, Alex?"

Logan frowned and said, "And maybe you're a little too sympathetic."

Barek turned on him. "You need to get over this, Logan. If you think…"

Eames shook her head, interrupting Barek's tirade. "Maybe we're all on edge tonight. After what Deakins told Bobby earlier and now the storm…"

Another rumble of thunder…the storm was closing in on them. Then the lights went out.

Eames jumped, her heart pounding. Why was she so on edge? Because Goren was seeing things out in the woods? _It's just the storm_, she told herself, until another flash of lightning showed her partner's silhouette at the back door. His gun was in his hand.

"What is your deal, Goren?" she snapped. "Put that damn thing away."

He waved at her to be quiet and Logan, drawing his own gun, crossed the room toward him. "What is it?"

"That wasn't the storm," he said quietly. He met Logan's eyes during the next flash of lightning. "She followed him," he muttered, hoping Eames and Barek wouldn't hear him.

No such luck. Both women heard, and they joined their partners by the window, guns in hand, as Logan said, "Him? You mean Deakins?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" Eames asked, heart pounding, gut in a knot.

"There's no other way she could have found us."

"Are you sure she's out there?"

He was sure, though he couldn't explain why. A sixth sense? Maybe. He just knew that the storm had _not_ knocked out the lights, and he _had_ seen a figure out there in the woods. He could sense his partner's apprehension…her fear…and there was nothing he could do to calm it. Logan flipped off his safety and engaged the slide. "Let's get her."

"Hold on there, D'Artangan," Barek settled a hand on his arm. "I am not rushing out into the night willy-nilly without a plan. So what _is_ the plan?"

Silence, followed by Logan, saying, "Let's rush out into the night willy-nilly and kick some Australian ass."

Barek smacked him. "I agree with Eames here, you ass. I don't want to bury my goddam partner."

Eames felt Goren tense, but she didn't respond to him. She was still mad. "Carolyn is right. We need a plan."

She could sense Goren's growing agitation and restlessness. Once they were committed to the hunt, though, he would settle right in to it. She knew, beyond all doubt, that when the action started, he would be ready. She could always count on her partner.

"Ok, fine," Logan grumbled. "You don't like plan A. Here's plan B: Two of us need to head out the front, and two out the back. We secure the place, call Deakins and crawl under the beds to wait. Ow!"

"Ass," Barek hissed in his ear.

"Well, we're getting nothing done standing here debating it."

Goren let out an impatient sigh. "You and Barek go out the front; Eames and I will go out this way. We'll meet by the boathouse." He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and slipped them into Logan's hand. "Lock the door."

He went into the kitchen, rummaging in a drawer for the extra set of keys Deakins told him were there. Slipping them into the pocket of his jeans, he returned to the door. "Go."

He put his hand on the doorknob to open the door, but Eames stepped between him and the door. She wasn't about to let him go into this thinking there was anything unfixable wrong with them. He needed no distractions. "We _are_ ok," she whispered into his ear, softly kissing his scruffy cheek. Then she opened the door, and he followed her out into the stormy night.

The rain was cold, and the wind whipping around them just made it colder. It was also hard to see through the driving storm. The lightning was flashing with greater frequency, followed by thunder that was getting louder with each crashing boom. Goren had somehow slipped in front of his partner, though she didn't remember him doing it. She followed him down the steps, careful to remain close to the house. The quick lightning flashes gave her a glimpse of him. His entire body was on guard, eyes looking for every movement, ears straining for sounds that did not belong to the storm. She, also, slipped into cop mode, gun at the ready, body on alert. They stepped away from the deck.

At the front of the house, Logan and Barek, also tense and alert, slipped down the steps and away from the porch. But the lightning revealed nothing and the only sounds beyond the storm were the small sloshing sounds made by their footsteps in the mud.

There was nothing to be found as Goren and Eames headed around the house. Eames was beginning to question whether he had even seen anything, but she kept her suspicions to herself. It had to have been the storm that had knocked out the electricity. Why he was saying it wasn't was a mystery to her. She would have to get him to explain that one.

She started when his voice whispered into her ear. "I don't see anything. Go on to the boathouse, and I'll be right behind you."

She turned her face toward his. "What are you going to do?"

He looked confused. "Nothing. I'll be right behind you." In a rare response to an impulse, he kissed her. "Go on."

She disappeared into the storm. He started after her, sliding to a sudden halt when a noise came to him above the sounds of the storm. It was the chambering of a round in a gun, accompanied by a chilling "Hello, Bobby."


	14. Dance With the Devil

Eames arrived at the boathouse just after Logan and Barek got there. "You see anything, Alex?" Barek asked.

"Not a thing. You guys?"

"Nope," Logan answered. "Just a lot of rain. And trees."

"No tigers," Barek chuckled.

"Ha, ha," he grumbled. Looking around, he asked, "Where's Goren?"

Eames looked into the storm in the direction of the house. "He was right behind me. He swore he was coming right behind me!" She stepped a few feet closer to the cabin. "I'm going to kill him," she grumbled.

Barek and Logan were right behind her as she ran back the way she had come, looking for her partner, an all-too-familiar feeling of dread clenching her gut.

"Bobby!" she called as the cabin came into view.

"Alex," he called back. "No!"

She stopped. She knew that tone. Something was very wrong. She motioned the other two detectives closer and whispered, "Something's wrong. You guys go around the other way and come up behind him. See if you can tell what's happening."

Logan's face was a dark frown. "I don't have to look. And neither do you. Come on, Carolyn. Let's see if we can't get the drop on her psychotic ass."

They disappeared into the storm. Eames started forward slowly, gun at the ready. Gradually, her partner's form came into view through the rain. "Bobby…"

He held his gun in a ready position. Several yards in front of him stood Nicole Wallace, a gun in her hand leveled at his midsection. She smiled at Eames. "Well, hello again, my dear detective. It's been far too long since our last visit."

She didn't seem bothered at all by the fact that there were now two guns trained on her. Eames inched her way closer to her partner. He looked sideways at her, careful not to let his guard down. She kept her attention focused on Wallace. She was not going to let him make another mistake. She was not going to lose her partner.

A noise behind Wallace caused her to turn her back to the cabin, but her gun never wavered, remaining trained directly on Goren. "Come and join the party, detectives."

Logan and Barek came into view. Logan was wet and muddy and Barek looked pissed. Like Goren and Eames, they both held their guns at the ready. "Well, whatever are we going to do here?" Wallace said with a smile.

Finally Goren spoke. "It would be in your best interest to just surrender, Nicole. Put the gun down and let us take you in."

"On what charges, Bobby? Oh, wait…that's right…your Mr. Carver has a set of charges ready and waiting, doesn't he?"

Jaw tight, Goren growled, "You _stabbed_ me, remember?"

"And you're going to hold that against me? I thought you were better than that, Bobby."

"I guess you thought wrong."

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends? It's so nice to see you making friends." She smiled, licking her lips like a hungry cat. "Oh, and your friend Lewis…very sweet…but I was rather disappointed that they wouldn't let me in to say hello to your mommy. I would have thought they would know your partner by name after all this time."

Goren flinched, fury broiling in his gut. "Your problem was they know her by sight."

"Don't let her bait you," Eames muttered to him.

But he paid her no mind. He stepped forward half a step. "Why would you go after a child, though? I didn't get that one. Emily Deakins is nothing to me."

"You're not a good liar, Bobby. Your boss' daughter…of course she's something to you. I just wanted to let you know I am closer than you think. I know more than you expect." She laughed briefly. "I found you, didn't I? Your captain led me right to you." She didn't move, didn't look away from him, but she saw Logan shift closer to her. "I wouldn't if I were you, detective. What's your name? Logan is it? One step closer, and I will be sending Bobby to meet his God, or whatever he believes in. In fact, I do believe I would feel just a little better if you all put your guns away."

"Fat chance, Nicole," Eames growled.

Goren knew that tone. She'd learned it from him. Nicole looked surprised. "Why, Bobby, as hard as you fought for her five months ago, she won't even lower her sidearm to save you? That hardly seems right."

"She's not going to lower her gun. None of them are. You are outnumbered this time, Nicole. Outnumbered and outmatched." He stepped forward another step.

"What the hell are you doing?" Eames hissed at him under her breath. Her words were drowned out by the storm, but not before they reached his ears. He stiffened slightly, and she knew he'd heard her. But there was no reaction from Nicole, so she knew she had not.

Goren held his gun off to the side, opening himself to Wallace. Eames was horrified. "I'm going to kick your ass, Goren," she hissed. "Step back."

But he didn't listen. He moved off to the left, drawing Wallace's attention away from the other three. "No," Eames groaned softly, realizing what he was doing. She saw this going very badly. "Bobby, please…" she pleaded.

But she knew…her partner never did anything he didn't feel he had to. Eames let her eyes stray to Logan and Barek. They had just caught on to what Goren was doing…his dance with the devil.

"Out matched?" she laughed. "Which one of you has me outmatched? Be real, Bobby. You are the closest to an equal I have ever found. But you have always been distracted by another. It's time to remedy that situation."

"No!" Had his mind not been what it was, he would never have caught on in time. All along, they had thought _he_ was her target. They had been very wrong.

As Wallace shifted her gun, bringing it to bear on the small detective beside him, he dropped his gun, turning and diving at his partner. Wallace's gun went off, followed by Logan's and Barek's. Goren hit Eames hard, and they both went down hard. Neither one of them moved…and slowly blood seeped out into the water on the muddy ground beneath them.


	15. The Continuing Storm

Logan ran forward toward Wallace while Barek rushed to the fallen cops. She dropped down into the mud as Eames groaned, taking a difficult breath. "Get the hell off me, Goren!" she gasped.

Barek grabbed Goren's shirt and pulled him over as Eames shoved. Holding her side, Eames pushed herself off the muddy ground to kneel beside her partner as she realized he wasn't conscious and Barek was trying to find out why.

"Is he ok?" Eames shouted over an explosion of thunder.

The other detective shook her head. "I don't know. It's too dark and too wet to tell anything for certain."

Eames laid a hand on his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath, concentrating on the beat of his heart beneath her hand. Her mind flashed back to the darkened motel on the beach and she felt panic rise inside her. The throbbing in her head worsened. "We have to get him inside." She knew there were other things she needed to be worried about, but at the moment, nothing mattered to her more than her partner did.

Logan came running up, looking down at the three cops in the mud as the storm continued to light up the sky. He looked at Eames. "You ok?"

"I think so. My chest is on fireand my head hurts, but it's not horrible." At least she was awake to feel her pain.

Barek tried to see him through the driving rain. "Wallace is dead, right?"

"Wrong."

Barek and Eames replied in unison. "_What_?"

"She's gone. Vanished like a puff of smoke. I went around the cabin, but she's just not anywhere."

Barek stared at him. "You went around the cabin? Alone? After an armed psychopath? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Eames was also frowning at him. "You've been spending too much time with Goren."

Logan came closer. "I had to make sure she wasn't lurking around," he protested. "Tell me any one of the three of you wouldn't have done the same damn thing."

"But going _alone_ isn't the smartest thing to do," Eames countered.

"I never claimed it was smart, just necessary. Speaking of smart, how's Goren?"

Barek shook her head. "I can't tell. We've got to get him inside."

Logan lifted his eyebrows. "_Get_ him inside? As in _carry_ him? Have you lost your ever-lovin' mind?"

"How else to you suggest we move him?" Barek frowned at him. "I can't tell how badly hurt he is, Mike."

"Aw, hell…"

Eames paid no attention to the argument. She just leaned her head down, pressing her forehead to his and letting her tears mix with the rain on their faces.

The storm drowned out his soft groan. His eyes slowly fluttered open. The first thing he was aware of was pain, followed by the presence of his partner, kneeling beside him with her forehead resting on his. He was relieved to see that she was ok, reassured by the pressure of her head against his and her hand on his chest. Raising a hand to her face, he touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. She caught her breath, lifting her head and looking at his face in the flashes of lightning. He gave her a tight grin. "Ouch," he muttered to her.

She looked over at Logan and Barek. "Guys!" They stopped their discussion and looked at her. "He's awake."

Barek turned to him, and Logan turned away, eyes scanning the area around them. He was pissed. Wallace had slipped away from him again, and she was still out there, lurking around, armed. They were being stalked while Barek and Eames fussed over Goren in the fucking rain…

"We need to get the hell inside," he snapped, shouting to be heard over the rain and thunder. "You girls can finish playing with him there. Let's go."

Barek glared at him for a minute, then turned back to Goren and Eames. "My insensitive ass of a partner is right. Can you get up, Bobby?"

He nodded. With a little help from Barek and Eames, he was on his feet. Barek shoved her partner toward the front porch. "'Playing with him?' Should I kick your ass now or aren't you through being an idiot yet?"

Goren took a step to follow and faltered. Eames grabbed his arm. "Are you ok?"

"Just a little dizzy. I'll be fine."

They headed for the porch, but he stumbled again at the foot of the steps. "Mike!" Eames shouted at Logan.

Halfway up the steps, he stopped and turned. He came back down and said, "Go on inside with Barek. I'll get him in."

"But…"

"Go!"

Barek waited for her at the top of the steps. "He's in a mood," she said as Eames joined her. "Come on, Alex. I want to look at your side."

"I'm fine."

But she ignored the protest and led her by the arm to the cabin door. Slipping the key Logan had given her into the lock, she unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Aw, shit…I forgot about the lights. Let's go check out the fuse box."

They crossed the dark great room to the back door and went out into the storm.

Goren made it up the steps on his own and collapsed into a chair. Logan dropped onto the chair beside him. "Well, at least we're out of the rain, sort of. You still with me?"

Goren nodded. "I'm really tired, Mike."

"Well, don't go to sleep, ok? You really whacked that thick skull of yours when you tackled Eames."

"What happened to Wallace?"

"How the hell should I know?"

Goren lifted his head, alarmed. "What? What do mean you don't know?"

"Oh, that's right…you slept through that. I went to make sure she was down, and her pretty little ass was gone."

"Gone where?"

"Did you miss the part where I said I don't know?"

Goren shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his mind. "You fired at her, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"And you _missed_?"

Logan leaned closer, his face dark and angry. "I don't know if we hit her or not. She wasn't fucking there!"

"Where are Eames and Barek?"

"Inside."

"Let's go…" He started to get up, but the world tilted on him.

"Just sit there," Logan snapped, still angry.

"Go make sure they're ok."

"Yeah, sure…"

He got up and went into the cabin. The wind continued to whip across the porch, driving the rain with it. Goren struggled to stay awake, focusing on the throbbing pain in his head. Every time he would start to fade, he would make the effort to move, and pain would cut across his consciousness, driving back the darkness. Twice, he tried to get to his feet, but his head swam both times, forcing him to stay put. He heard voices, coming from the ground below, moving along the front of the porch toward the steps. His hand went for his gun, but it wasn't there. Shit…

The screen door banged open and Eames stormed onto the porch. He looked at her, confused. "I thought you were inside," he said. The effort it took to holler so she could hear him made the pounding in his head worse.

"Never mind," she yelled back. He frowned. She didn't look so well. She was pale and her face was drawn in pain. Reaching out, he gently grabbed her hand and guided her into the chair Logan had vacated. She winced, bracing her arm tight against her side as fire flared through her chest. He hadn't released her and she squeezed his hand in response to the pain.

The screen door banged open again. Barek walked over and handed their guns to them. Logan was right behind her. "Barek…"

She turned on him, holding her hands up in front of her, palms out. "Just shut up, Logan. Don't talk to me."

She went into the cabin, where the lights had come back on. Logan turned to Eames. "Are you ok, Alex?"

She nodded, but neither of the men believed her. Logan walked over to her, gently helping her to her feet, slipping a supportive arm around her waist. He looked at Goren. "I'll be right back. Try not to do anything stupid while I'm gone."

He helped Eames into the cabin, where Barek was snapping branches into smaller pieces and throwing them angrily into the fireplace. He eased her onto one of the couches and looked toward his partner. "Look, she doesn't even need an ax."

He ducked the stick she threw at him on his way back to the door. Barek looked at Eames. "You don't look so hot." She left the fireplace to sit by her on the couch. "You've got blood all over the back of your shirt. Let me have a look."

Eames unbuttoned her shirt and eased it open so Barek could examine her. She certainly didn't want Logan checking her over and she'd be damned right now if she'd let Bobby do it either. She had been going over the day's events in her mind and she was furious with him. He'd done it again. He'd underestimated Nicole Wallace and nearly gotten himself killed. Quietly, Barek said, "This is where Bobby landed on you, isn't it?" She nodded. "You've got a lot of bruising here. Probably a couple of broken ribs. We'll get some ice on that and they'll feel a little better, but they're gonna hurt for awhile. Let me check your back to see where this blood came from."

But there wasn't a mark on her back. Barek frowned. The blood had to have come from someplace.


	16. Round One

Logan stepped out onto the porch and looked around. It offered little protection from the ferocity of the storm. He walked across to where Goren still sat and squatted beside the chair. "You still with me here?" His eyes were closed, but he nodded. "Ok, let's get you inside."

With Logan's help, Goren struggled to his feet. He walked into the cabin on his own, steadied occasionally by Logan. When they got to the couch where Eames and Barek were sitting, Goren collapsed near them with a groan. Barek tossed a lighter at her partner. "Do something useful and finish starting that fire."

"I take it you're done abusing the wood."

"Just be glad I'm not abusing you."

He smirked as he headed to the fireplace and she glared at him. Eames frowned. "Why are you mad at him?"

"Because he's an ass. I'm not ten years old," she raised her voice for his benefit. "I can damn well take care of myself and check out a fuse box."

"With an armed psycho running around out there?" he snapped.

"Eames was with me. At least I have enough sense not to go trotting around in the storm by myself _looking_ for her, jackass!"

Goren frowned. "You did _what_?"

Logan looked at him. "I don't _even_ want to hear from you."

Barek turned to Goren. "Just ignore him. That's what I do. Let me have a look at you now."

He looked at his partner. "Are you ok?"

"Other than the ribs you broke tackling me, I'm fine," she snapped angrily.

"The ribs I broke?"

"Think about it and then let me know when you've figured it out."

Barek frowned at her, wondering why she was being so cruel to him, but she decided it wasn't her place to step in. They'd work it out; they always did. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok, just very tired."

"Sick to your stomach, dizzy, headache?" He nodded, which was a mistake. He almost felt hungover. "Do you hurt anywhere else?"

"No."

She examined his head, gently running her fingers through his hair. "Well, look at this. You have a nasty laceration over here on the side of your head, probably where you hit the ground, but it's stopped bleeding. I'll bet that's where the blood on your shirt came from, Alex." She leaned back and looked at him, but he wouldn't look up. She wasn't surprised. "You've got a good concussion going there, Bobby, which is why you feel like crap." She turned to look at her partner. "Logan, go check in the bathroom and see if you can find any first aid supplies. Deakins has to have some around here someplace."

"I thought you wanted me to start a fire." She turned and glared at him. "Ok, ok…I'll be your step-and-fetch-it boy."

The women watched him head down the hall toward the bathrooms, grumbling to himself. "I'll give him step-and-fetch-it…" she muttered.

Logan returned with a plastic box, which he handed to Barek. "There's your first aid kit," he mumbled, heading back to the fireplace.

Barek continued to ignore his surliness, turning back to Goren, who had leaned forward and had his head resting in his hands. She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Let me see that cut."

He let his hand drop so she could clean the injury. "I won't bandage it because that'll just get annoying, so don't go puddle diving like Logan did earlier."

He just nodded. Barek closed the first aid box and set it aside. Then she went into the kitchen for some ice to put on Eames injured ribs. Goren looked at Eames, moving closer to her. He reached out and gently touched her arm, which she pulled away. "Alex, I…I'm sorry."

She looked at him with a frown. "You're going to have to be a little more specific about what you're apologizing for because I'm really mad at you for more than one reason."

"Your ribs…I…I'm sorry I hurt you."

She stared at him, shaking her head. "Leave it to you to apologize for the one thing I'm _not_ mad at you for."

"But…" He trailed off. She sure _sounded_ mad…but he didn't want to risk pissing her off even more, so he shut up.

Barek returned with a package of frozen peas. She smiled. "These make great ice packs."

Eames took the peas, gently laying them against her side. She leaned back and sighed. "So what are we going to do about Wallace?"

Goren shrugged as he leaned back away from her. "We're going to get her," he said simply.

"Just like that?" Logan grumbled. "We just go and get her? Like you did in Seaside, right?"

"Not quite."

"The biggest disadvantage we have is that she knows where we are but we have no clue where she is," Barek pointed out as she sat in a chair.

Logan stepped away from the fireplace. "There's your fire."

"Thank you."

He walked over to them and dropped into a chair next to his partner, rubbing his forehead. Barek studied him. "Headache?"

"Yeah."

She opened the first aid kit up and tossed a bottle of aspirin to him. He raised an eyebrow. "Take two aspirin and call you in the morning. Can I change that prescription, doctor?"

"First of all, I'm not a doctor. Second of all, I'm too pissed at you right now to even consider doing anything short of beating the shit out of you if you come within three feet of me."

"That has its possibilities," he replied with a grin.

"Logan…" she started. But she could feel her anger starting to fade. "Oh, never mind. You're hopeless."

"That was another thing my mother always told me," he said with a grin. He tossed the aspirin bottle back to her after taking two of them. "So where'd you study doctorin'?" he said, faking a rural accent.

She laughed. He was learning how to defuse her anger. Now if he'd just learn not to instigate it in the first place, but somehow she doubted that would ever happen. "Just something I picked up over time. I had a partner once, years ago…he was the biggest klutz I'd ever met in my life. I had to learn first aid to keep him together, and he gave me lots of practice."

Eames leaned back and tried to take a deep breath, gasping at the pain the shot through her side. Deep breathing was not a very good idea. She looked at her partner, who had closed his eyes. Logan had also noticed the big cop had drifted off. He leaned toward him and tapped his leg. "Hey," he called. Goren groaned softly but didn't answer. He looked at Barek. "Should we be letting him sleep?"

"As long as we can rouse him every couple of hours he'll be ok." She looked at Eames. "Same goes for you." She leaned back into the chair's cushioned back and sighed heavily. "So…what _do_ we do? Somehow I doubt it's going to be as easy as just going and getting her."

"Well," Logan began. "If you want my opinion…"

His opinion was interrupted by a crash outside the cabin on the front porch. He bolted to his feet, pulling out his gun as he ran to the door with his partner on his heels. Eames stayed back, gun drawn, glancing at her partner, who was also on his feet, gun in hand. She grabbed his arm when he took a step forward and shook her head. To appease her, he stopped. Logan opened the door, cautiously following his gun out the door. A glass jar had been shattered, and there was glass all over the porch. He ran across the porch, through the screen door and down the steps, Barek right behind him. Goren and Eames went to the door and watched as they ran across the clearing toward the trees. The storm was beginning to abate as it moved away, but it was still intense. She watched Goren as he stepped onto the porch and studied the side of the house, letting his eyes roam about to find the point of impact. Eames bent down and removed a folded piece of paper from among the glass fragments. She opened it and read its message, spelled out in red ink:

_One down, three to go. Whatever will you do without her, Bobby? Which one of you will be next? I control the who, the when and the how. Watch your back, my dear…there's no one to watch it for you now…_

She handed it to Goren, watching his face for a reaction. He reacted, but not like she would have expected. She expected anger. She got contemplation. "What the hell are you thinking about?"

"Either she hasn't been watching us, or she wants us to _think_ she hasn't been watching us."

"Does it really matter?"

"It might. If she hasn't been watching us and she really does think she's killed you, that gives us an advantage. If we think she believes you're dead, but she knows you're not, that gives her an advantage."

"Ok, so how do we beat her at it?"

"We keep both scenarios in mind. She won't expect that."

"Are you sure?"

An odd look crossed his face, irritation mixed with…something else. He looked at her. "If you're losing faith in me, Eames, let me know. Then you'll be the one looking for a new partner."

He stepped past her and went into the cabin. She frowned, wondering what he meant by that. Was she losing faith in him? He counted on her to believe in him, and if she was losing that…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Logan and Barek returning to the cabin. "Did you see anyone?" she asked.

"It was hard to tell," Logan replied. "We might have, but whatever it was ran down by the lake and disappeared. Maybe she's really some kind of mutant fish or something."

Barek looked at him. "A mutant fish? You watch too much science fiction, Mike."

They went into the cabin, locking the door behind them. Goren was sitting in front of the fire, watching the flames. Logan and Barek joined him. Barek asked, "Do you think she's going to try anything else tonight?"

Goren looked at her. "Don't ask me," he snapped.

Getting up, he headed up the stairs to the second level, went into his bedroom and slammed the door behind him. Both Barek and Logan looked at Eames, who was watching the now-empty staircase. "What did I say?" Barek asked.

"It's not you, Carolyn. It's me. He thinks I'm losing my trust in him."

Eames looked at the folded note, sitting on the table by the door. Even though she had not struck a lethal blow, round one had gone to Nicole.


	17. Explaining Himself

Eames knocked on the bedroom door, but there was no answer. Quietly, she opened the door and stepped into the room. A small lamp beside the bed was lit. He was lying on the bed, arms tucked behind his head, watching the ceiling. He didn't move, didn't look at her…all he did was softly say "If I don't answer it means I want to be left alone."

"I thought you were sleeping and I had to check on you. You have a concussion and we need to be sure we can wake you, at least through tonight."

"Well, I'm not sleeping, so you can go."

She hesitated. "Bobby, we need to work this out."

"Work what out?"

"Us. If there still is an 'us' to work out."

"That's up to you, Eames."

"I believe the ball was in your court last, when _you_ threatened to leave the partnership."

"Leave? I did no such thing." He sighed heavily. "If I lose your trust, I lose everything. There's no point in you staying in a partnership with a partner you don't trust. And me…" He shook his head. "You…hit low and hard when you told me…you'd leave. Threatening me like that…to get me to do what you want…well, that was just cold. I…I'll do anything you want…you just have to ask."

She sat down in a chair near the window. The storm was mostly over. The rain was falling lightly now, punctuated by intermittent flashes of lightning and an occasional distant rumble of thunder. "When she comes back, she does something to you. She…changes you. You…step away from us, Bobby. You go back to being just you. She has been trying to come between us, and she has been succeeding. I don't know how, whether it's you letting it happen, or me, responding to what you have become."

"What have I become?"

"You're…distant. And you make no attempt to bring me in, at all."

He pushed himself up onto an elbow to look toward her. "I…I try to…insulate you. It…bothers me, a-a lot, to…think…" He wasn't quite sure how to explain how he felt, especially without making her angry again. "She's evil, Eames. You're not. Evil soils everything it comes into…contact with. I mean, I know what we deal with, every day…what we see…what we do…but…she's a different kind of evil. She seeks to…consume…what is good…to turn good to evil. I…have been trying to protect you from that kind of desecration."

"And what about you, Bobby? What makes you different?"

He sat up and rested his arms on his knees. "I know what she is. I understand how and why she came to be that way. I…I am more like her than you realize."

"No, Bobby. You are nothing like her."

He twisted his hands together, staring down at the floor, away from her. "That's not true. She…she just made different choices. It was the choices we made in our lives that…made us who we are. She chose the dark path. I didn't. I…I was able to…change my destiny…by not letting my hatred consume me. I…turned my weaknesses into strengths, my hatred into…a deeper understanding of human nature. Instead of blaming my life on my past, I worked hard to…become better than my past." He rubbed his forehead. "You have no idea…there are lots of things…things I've never told you. Some I never will. If I have…if I've screwed up, and I know I must have to have pissed you off so royally, I…I was only trying to protect you…to keep you…" Words were failing him. "Eames, she means to destroy me, because she can't beat me. The only way she can truly destroy _me_, is to destroy _us_. I…I don't know how, or when, she figured that out. But she did."

"And you decided to keep all this from me…why?"

He looked at her. "You get so mad whenever you think I'm protecting you. Remember? You don't need a bodyguard and I should join the secret service."

She saw the smile that played at his mouth. She turned back toward the window. Finally, she looked back at him. "I give up, Goren."

He looked back toward the floor. "Then there's nothing I can do…"

She got up from the chair and walked over to sit beside him on the bed. "No, Bobby. You've done enough. You've protected me from Nicole and it's cost you dearly. She could have killed you tonight. I can't keep asking you to stop protecting me, because it just doesn't work. You're too bull-headed. So I give up. If it keeps you happy, dammit, protect me all you want. Just stay the hell out of my way while you do it. I'm sorry I hurt you. I really am. But I didn't know any other way to get through to you." She gently stroked his hand and his arm. "And no, I haven't lost my faith or my trust in you. There's no one in the world I trust more than you. Believe me."

He looked at her, confused. "So I don't have to join the secret service?"

She laughed. "No, you big bonehead." She rested her head against his shoulder, tucking her head under his chin. "So are we back to 'us,' Bobby? Can we go back to being _partners_?"

He let his fingers stray along her shoulder until he touched her chin. He turned her face toward his and asked, "Are you done being mad at me?"

Her face relaxed into a warm smile and she pulled back from him, reaching out to unbutton his shirt. He tipped his head to the side so he could see her face. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

She ran her hands over his chest until he closed his eyes and his breathing changed. Suddenly bracing her hands against him, she shoved, following his body down onto the bed. "I'm done…"

She claimed his mouth with hers and her body quickly followed.


	18. Resolution and A Plan, Sort Of

After Goren slammed the door, Logan got up from the couch and started toward the stairs, but Eames stopped him. "Leave him alone, Mike."

"There was no reason for him to react like that."

Barek studied her partner. "What? No one can be rude to me but you? Listen to Alex."

"Why are you protecting him, Barek?"

"I'm not, moron. I'm protecting you. _She's_ protecting him."

Logan looked from one woman to the other. "Damn, I miss Lennie." He went into the kitchen and came out with a beer. "At least I friggin' understood Lennie."

He sat on the couch beside his partner and watched the flames, a frown on his face. "Don't mope, Mike," she gently chided.

Eames sat on the other side of him. "He'll get over it, and he'll apologize to Carolyn. He never means it—it's not in him to intentionally be rude. It just slips out every once in awhile. The best thing you can do is ignore him for now."

"And what about you?"

"I'm his partner. I don't have that luxury. And I am responsible for how he's feeling anyway. So I have to fix it, if it can be fixed."

Logan spun the beer bottle lazily in his hands. "You think it can't be fixed?"

"I don't know. He's always…unpredictable when we deal with Nicole."

"It's not easy, is it, Alex? Being his partner." Barek asked.

"Nothing about Goren is easy. But being his partner is worth it." She got up and headed for the stairs. She was not looking forward to this, but she knew she had to do it. Yes, being his partner was worth it, but more than that, _he_ was worth it, and that was what really mattered to her. Him.

Logan watched her slowly climb the stairs. He heard her knock, then the door opened and closed. He looked at Barek. "What do you say we watch a movie or something before we turn in?"

"Sure. I'll let you pick the movie, but no science fiction or war movies."

"What else is there?"

She just looked at him. "Ok, ok…but no chick flicks, either."

"Ok, fine. I don't know what your problem is with chick flicks. Bobby watches them with us."

Logan raised his eyebrows and looked at her. "'Us?'"

"Yes, 'us.' Sometimes when Alex and I hang out after work, he stops by. He watches whatever we happen to be watching, and he never complains."

"I don't guess he would."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that he always seems content just to be with her. I've given up trying to figure him out."

"Welcome to the club."

"How about _The Pink Panther_?"

"Sure."

He put it into the DVD player, got two beers from the kitchen and sat beside her on the couch facing the television. He handed her a beer. They settled in to watch the movie, and she snuggled against his side. "Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"You have this ability to really piss me off, but you have a counterbalance that makes me really feel good about myself, and us. I am happy being your partner."

He slid his arm around her and leaned back. "Thanks, Carolyn."

Once the movie was over, Logan and Barek headed up the stairs after one last check to make sure the cabin was secure. "Somehow, I doubt a few locks and a couple of panes of glass can keep her out of she has a mind to get in," Logan observed.

"Thanks for that, Mike. I'll sleep well tonight."

He grinned at her. "Come on to my room. I'll protect you."

"In your dreams."

"Every night, sweetheart."

"Logan, you're a pig."

"Yeah, I've heard that before."

"I'll give you fair warning—I'm sleeping with my gun."

"Ok, now you're turning me on."

Barek rolled her eyes. "Hopeless…" she muttered. With a long-suffering sigh, she shoved her partner toward Goren's room. "Go check on Bobby. Make sure you get an answer from him. I'll check on Alex."

"Tell me you don't want to go check on him."

"Logan, contrary to what that testosterone-laced brain of yours may think, I do not want to hop into bed with every guy I meet."

"Well, I can vouch for that…"

"Just go, idiot." She headed to Eames' room. Not getting an answer when she knocked, she went in. The room was empty. Barek turned back into the hall where Logan was hovering outside Goren's door. "She's not in there."

"Imagine that." He knocked on Goren's door, turned the knob and pushed it open. The small lamp was still on. Logan looked over his shoulder as she came over to join him. "Well, go on over and make sure he's ok," she told him.

"The hell with that. You do it. I don't particularly want a black eye. He won't hit you."

Barek glared at him. "If you get a black eye, Bobby's not the one who's going to give it to you." She crossed over to the bed. Gently shaking Goren's shoulder, she called his name. He groaned but didn't waken. "Come on, Bobby. Open your eyes."

Slowly, his eyelids fluttered and he finally did turn his head to look at her. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure you're ok."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Ok, go on back to sleep. I'll check on Alex and leave you guys alone."

He mumbled something she didn't catch as his eyes slid closed. She smiled at him. Given all the rumors she'd heard about him, she had been surprised by his kind and gentle demeanor. In a way, she could understand Logan's jealousy. But it was clear that Goren was off the playing field. She walked around the bed to where Eames was sleeping in his arms. "Alex? Wake up for a minute."

Eames roused much more easily. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. We're just checking on you."

"Oh." She winced as pain flared in her side, gently moving Goren's arm off her side. "Thanks."

"Good night."

She followed Logan from the room. "Uh, Mike?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Do you think it's possible for you not to be an ass for at least a few hours?"

"Sure. I don't usually get into trouble when I'm sleeping. It's no guarantee…" He shrugged. "Why?"

"I…" she trailed off, looking for a graceful way to ask what she wanted to ask. The thought of Wallace lurking around outside the cabin made her skin crawl. She knew Logan had been joking with his invitation, but she was starting to seriously consider it. He stepped up to her, putting a finger under her chin and guiding her face up so he could see it. Without saying a word, he lowered his face toward hers and kissed her. She pushed against him, forcing him backwards around the railing toward the other side of the stairs, where their rooms were. Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt, and it fluttered to the floor as he backed through the doorway into his room. They left it where it fell and the door closed.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Goren rolled over in bed, his head throbbing. Beside him, the bed was empty. Slowly, he got up, dressed and left the room. He raised his eyebrows at the sight of the shirt on the floor in the hall as he headed down the stairs, and he smiled. Crossing the great room toward the kitchen, he automatically scanned the room for anything out of place. Nothing caught his attention. Eames was busy scrambling eggs when he entered the room. She smiled at him. "How do you feel?"

"I'm…better."

He stepped up behind her and slid his arms around her, kissing the side of her head. She leaned back into him. "Are Logan and Barek up yet?"

"I don't know."

"Well, sit down and eat something. How's your head?"

"It hurts. How are your ribs?"

"Don't ask."

"I really am sorry, Alex. I…I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Stop apologizing. I think a bullet in my chest would have done a lot more damage."

She dished out the eggs, adding bacon from the pan at the back of the stove. He filled two mugs with coffee, adding milk to his and milk and sugar to hers. As she set the plates on the table, Logan and Barek came down the stairs. Goren looked at them with an amused smile. "You left something in the hall last night."

"Yeah, well…never mind," Logan decided against antagonizing his partner first thing in the morning.

Eames sat down beside Goren. "Breakfast is on the stove."

Barek took a seat across from Eames. "I don't know if I'm relieved or more nervous that nothing else happened last night."

Goren looked up at her. "I…I'm sorry I snapped at you last night."

She smiled. "It's ok. Did you…get things worked out?"

He nodded, returning his gaze to his breakfast. She looked at Eames, who just smiled. "What about you?" Eames asked.

Barek looked at Logan as he set a plate of eggs in front of her. "Yeah." She salted her eggs. "So, do we have a plan for today?"

Goren nodded. "Logan and I are going down to the lake to check out the last place you saw her."

Eames looked at him. "You are?"

Logan also looked at him. "We are?"

Goren just nodded. "We are."

"Just how hard did you hit your head?" Logan asked.

The big cop frowned. "I am not going to just sit here and wait for her to make the next move. We need to draw her out." He looked at his partner. "You need to stay out of sight, Alex. If she really does think she got you, we want her to keep believing that."

"Just be careful, ok?"

"We will."

Once breakfast was over, Goren and Logan made sure their guns were loaded and ready. Eames laid a hand on her partner's cheek. "Please be careful."

He gave her a gentle kiss. "Don't worry."

Logan grinned at Barek as he slid his gun into his holster. "See ya soon."

She touched his chin. "Don't do anything stupid." Kissing him lightly, she added, "And watch out for each other, ok?"

"We'll be fine."

They headed out of the cabin, crossed the porch and were gone. Eames and Barek watched them cross the clearing and enter the woods beyond.


	19. We, Not I

The trees seemed to close in on them as they headed toward the lake. Senses on edge, they saw every movement, heard every sound, but nothing seemed out of place. Logan muttered, "If she is lurking around, wouldn't there be, like, a dead silence? You know, the kind of menacing silence that accompanies demons and witches."

Goren looked at him. "You watch too many movies, Mike."

Logan laughed. "I guess that would be too easy, wouldn't it?"

Coming out of the trees, they stood on the shore of the lake. The sun sparkled on the water and a cool breeze blew across from the other side. "Where did you last see her?"

"Down this way a little."

They walked along the water's edge for another few yards. Goren squatted and studied the mud. He pointed at the trail of footprints that followed the shore, disappearing into the water not far from where they were.

"What is it with her and the water?"

"I don't know." He stood up and looked around them. Then he looked out across the water. "Down that way, Mike, near the other end of the lake. There's an island. I wonder…"

"Please don't tell me you want to go out there."

"Not right now. But I think…"

He was cut off by the crack of a rifle and the thud of a bullet striking a tree near his head. Logan swore and both men dove for cover. "I think she sees us," Logan grumbled, back against a tree, gun in hand. "Where'd that come from?"

"Across the lake, over there."

Logan leaned around the tree and squeezed off a round. The bullet fired in return buried itself in the tree near his head. He exchanged an infuriated lookwith Goren. They exchanged a couple of rounds and the woods returned to silence. "There's your dead silence, Mike."

"Yeah. Thanks."

After a few minutes, the birds began singing again, and the forest returned to normal. Cautiously, they stepped from their cover. Goren didn't take his eyes from the far shore, searching for any sign of movement. There was none. "Let's get back to the cabin."

"What's the plan?"

"Tonight, we're going out to the island."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

-------------------------------------------------------

Barek unlocked the door and let them in. "Well?"

"Well, she found us," Logan answered.

"Are you all right?" Eames asked, eyes searching her partner for any sign of his usual unrest. But there was none, just a firm resolve settled deep in his eyes.

"We're fine," Logan answered. He looked at Goren. "Tell them about our plans for tonight. You girls are gonna love this. We're double dating."

Goren gave him an impatient look. "There's an island at the far end of the lake. I think that's where's she's hiding out. That's why she went to the lake last night. We're going out there tonight."

Eames looked uneasy. "Shouldn't we call Deakins?"

"No."

Logan frowned. "Why the hell not?"

"Because if the place is crawling with cops looking for her, she's going to go underground again and who knows when she'll turn up, or what she'll do when she does. We're going to finish this, here and now."

'We.' Not 'I.' Eames walked over to him and kissed his cheek. He looked at her curiously, but she just smiled at him. Her partner was back, and the wedge Wallace had tried to shove between them was gone. For good.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The sun had set and darkness was quickly descending on the cabin. Goren was on the back porch, watching the eastern sky. Eames, dressed like he was in black jeans and a black shirt, came out and sat near him. "Well?"

"Soon. There's no sign of the moon. That buys us some time."

"How close to full is it?"

"Between a quarter and full. Enough to make us visible once it rises. Are Logan and Barek ready?"

"Yes. We're just waiting for you."

He studied the woods surrounding the cabin and nodded. "Ok. If you're ready…"

She leaned forward and kissed him. "_We_ are ready."

He smiled. "Yes, _we_ are."

They went into the house and Logan looked up at him from where he was sitting. "Uh, we are taking the boat, right?"

"Yes, unless you'd rather swim."

"No, no, that's ok. But we're not gonna use the motor, are we?"

"Do you really want to announce our visit?"

"Not particularly."

"Ok, then. If everyone's ready, let's go."

They headed out the back door. Barek made sure the front door was locked and grabbed the keys from the desk on her way by. She hesitated for a moment. Turning back, she grabbed the cell phone from the table by the front door, turned the ringer off and slipped it into her pocket. Then she trotted out onto the back porch, closing and locking the door behind her.


	20. Boat in the Water

The doors to the shed opened easily and soundlessly. Logan glanced at the outboard and sighed, grabbing instead the oars and oarlocks from their place on the wall. He handed them off to Barek, who split the load with Eames. Then he looked at the boat, resting on a set of sawhorses, upside down. He walked around it, bending over to look under it with his flashlight. "It's a boat, Mike," Barek said.

"Yeah, I recognized that." He looked at Goren. "What's it made of?"

"Lead and brick."

"What?"

The big cop laughed quietly and his partner poked him. "Stop teasing him," she chided. But she smiled. He was concerned about the upcoming confrontation, but it all felt right to him, so his manner was easy and his smile came readily. She turned to Logan. "It's aluminum, Mike."

Barek leaned closer to him. "As in aluminum foil."

"Well, that shouldn't be so bad."

Goren laughed again, more to himself. "Which end do you want?"

"I'll take the front." He stopped, turning to look at Goren. "And remember, I apologized for ramming you with that dresser."

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

Logan walked to the front of the boat, glancing at his partner. "And no poking."

"I never poked you."

"Now wouldn't be the time to start."

"Logan, quit stalling and pick up your end of the damn boat," Barek snapped. "We don't have all night."

Unlike Goren, Logan was very apprehensive about finding and confronting Nicole Wallace. Goren had this annoying ability to believe everything was going to turn out right…hence he'd gotten stabbed. Logan wasn't such an optimist. His mind liked to run over each and every scenario of how wrong things could go. With a grunt, he hoisted his end of the boat up over his head. "You're sure there's no tigers or anything out there, right?"

"Positive. Bears, maybe, but no tigers."

"Bears?"

Barek shook her head. "Don't worry, city boy. I'll protect you from the bears."

Logan tipped his head down to look at her. "And who's gonna protect the bears from you?"

"You're damn lucky you have a friggin' boat on your head. Get moving."

He grinned at her. "Ready, Goren?"

"Whenever you are. Just remember that you're steering, ok?"

"Right."

They headed out of the shed and crossed the clearing toward the lake. Once they entered the woods, minor problems cropped up. "Why aren't you on the path, Logan?"

"This is the path."

"Bullshit. The path is wider than the boat."

"Do you want to steer, Goren?"

"At least we'd still be on the path."

_Bump_. "Now what?" Goren asked.

"Tree. Back up."

As they backed up, Logan heaved his end of the boat up so he could see, knocking Goren off balance, sideways, into another tree. "Son of a bitch."

"Uh, I think we have a small problem here."

"What kind of problem?" He pushed himself off the tree.

"Well, it's black and white, it looks like a fat housecat…and it's looking right at me."

"Great. Unless you want to sleep on the porch, don't make any sudden movements. Back up slowly…"

They managed to back their way out of the trees, back to where their partners were waiting for them. "Barek," Goren growled. "Grab his belt and set him on the damn path."

Logan turned his head to look over his shoulder at the big cop behind him until Barek walked over and grabbed his belt. "Hey!"

"Shut up or I'll grab more than your belt. Come on."

They finally got the boat down to the lake. "Now ease it over gently," Goren warned.

With Eames and Barek's help, they set the boat in the water. Goren leaned on the stern and glared at Logan until his partner laid a hand on his back. "Ok, now what?"

Barek quietly set the oarlocks into their places. "At least he was quiet while running you into the trees, Bobby."

"I _don't_ need your help, Barek," Logan snapped.

Goren had walked away from the boat, a few yards down the shore, and he was watching the island. Eames followed him, stepping up to his side. "What is it?"

He rested his arm across her shoulders and pointed toward the island. "Look through the trees. You can barely see it, but there's a light there, flickering like a fire."

She nodded. "I see it. Does that mean she's there now?"

"I'd bet on it."

"That's good enough for me. Let's get going."

She started back toward the boat, but he didn't follow right away. He was thinking. "Bobby?"

"Yeah, I'm coming."

They got back to the boat and Goren leaned back against a large boulder set where the path met the water. A large ring was drilled into the rock for tying up the boat. "It looks like she's out there now. I don't want to bring the boat up onto the shore there. It's not a big island and I don't want to take the chance she'll hear us land."

Logan looked up at him. "And what do you suggest we do?"

"Anchor it off shore and swim the rest of the way."

Logan just stared at him. "Swim? How did I know that was going to come into this somehow?"

"Don't tell me you can't swim."

"No, I can swim. I just don't like swimming with sharks or barracuda or whatever lives in lakes and ponds."

"No, the sharks and barracuda are with the tigers, Logan. The most you have to worry about here are minnows about the size of your finger. They don't eat much."

Eames elbowed him. "There's nothing out there that can hurt you, Mike."

"Nothing but Nicole Wallace," Goren corrected.

Logan shook his head, muttering under his breath as he picked up one of the oars from the ground. Barek asked, "Where's the anchor?"

"Back in the shed, along the back wall."

"I'll get it."

She trotted off up the path back toward the cabin. When she got back, she set the anchor in the boat, tying the anchor line to a ring at the stern. Logan looked at Goren. "You do the rowing."

"Whatever."

Eames and Barek both looked at him. "Hey, I've never rowed anything in my life. So if you plan to get to that island before the sun comes up, he'd better do the rowing."

"I'm not worried about the sun, Mike." He looked at his watch. "If the moon comes up while we're out on the lake, we're screwed. Let's go."

Logan and the two women got into the boat while Goren pushed off and pulled himself over the stern. Doing his best to keep the oarlocks as still as possible, he rowed the boat toward the island.


	21. The Island

Logan kept scanning the water and the sky as they got closer to the island. Barek followed his nervous gaze and, her voice a whisper, finally asked, "What the hell are you looking for?"

"I'll know it when I see it."

"Tell me you're looking for familiars or something."

Goren stifled a laugh, earning him an annoyed look from Logan. "As a matter of fact, the thought did cross my mind."

Eames shook her head. "She's not a demon or a witch, Logan. She's just evil."

He leaned forward toward where she sat behind Goren. "Then how the hell did Barek and I _both_ miss hitting her last night? She was right in front of us."

Eames shook her head. "I don't know, but somehow you did. Look, it was dark and raining. It's not inconceivable. Shit happens."

Logan looked at Goren. "You got any theories, genius?"

Goren stopped rowing and leaned on the oars, letting the momentum carry them forward. "I agree with Eames."

"Of course you do. Well, I like my explanation better."

Barek frowned at him. "What? That she's a witch or a demon or something? Maybe she's a werewolf and only silver bullets will kill her."

"Now you're being ridiculous."

"No more than you are."

Goren looked over his shoulder when Eames touched his back. She rested her chin against the back of his shoulder and whispered. "The fire just went out."

"Shit. Get down."

All four of them hunkered down in the boat. Goren wanted to check it out without endangering the other three, but he knew that wasn't going to happen, and if he even suggested it, Eames might just shoot _him_. He looked toward the black looming shadow of the island. They weren't quite as close as he wanted to be, but they were close enough. He slid the anchor into the water. "Ok, let's go."

He slid over the side into the water and waited for the others to join him. Logan grumbled. "I _really_ don't like this."

"You don't have to like it," Barek whispered into his ear. "You just have to do it."

"We can't see a damn thing."

"Just swim. If you get lost, then you can complain."

They began the swim to the island, being very careful not to make any sound. Once on the shore, they checked their weapons. "Ok, now what?" Logan asked in a low whisper.

"Let's see what happened to that fire," Goren replied.

He headed off into the woods. Logan shook his head, muttering, "Easy as that. We just find out what happened to it. No problem."

"Quit talking to yourself and get going," Barek mumbled, pushing him toward the trees.

He turned toward Barek and Eames. "Do either of you have a problem with this amazing lack of a plan we have here?"

"Not at all," Barek hissed. "It's every bit as good as 'Let's get her.'"

Logan frowned at her, but Eames interrupted the discussion. "Let's go, guys, before we lose Goren in the woods."

"We wouldn't want that, now, would we?" Logan grumbled, turning back toward the deeper shadow of the woods and heading off to follow Goren. "How the hell are we supposed to see him? I can't…"

There was a muffled 'oof' and the sound of someone falling. Eames and Barek pulled out their guns and aimed them toward the sound. Goren's voice reached them. "It's ok."

They slid their guns back into their holsters and moved forward. Eames stopped when she bumped into her partner, grabbing Barek's arm to prevent her from doing the same. Logan's voice came to them from the ground, quiet but angry. "Ok, my ass. This is not going to work. I feel like one of the friggin' Three Stooges here. We can't see a damn thing, and it's not like we can just flip on a flashlight. What a plan this was, Goren. If we can't see where the hell we're going, how are we supposed to find an extinguished campfire? Or do you suggest we stumble around out here until we just run into Her Wickedness or get our asses shot?"

Goren was quiet, but Eames could tell he was thinking. She leaned against him, taking comfort from his hulking presence beside her. Barek leaned against a tree and Logan stayed where he was, sitting on the ground. Goren laid a hand on Eames' shoulder, but remained silent. Finally he sighed. "We wait," he said simply.

"For?" Logan asked.

"For the moon to come up. It's on its way to full and we'll be able to see by its light. But we'll have to be more careful, because if we can see, so can she."

"So how long do we have to sit here in the pitch dark?"

"Maybe another forty-five minutes."

Barek said softly, "I think we should keep silent as well. If she's wandering around out here, we don't want her to hear Curly over there muttering and complaining. If she's been staying out here, even if it's just been a day or two, you can bet your ass she knows this place and we don't."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence, ears straining to hear any sound beyond their breathing. Goren sat beside a tree, leaning back against it. Eames sat with him, leaning against him, resting her head against his chest. He was thinking again, but as he thought, he absently slipped his arm around her and rested his hand against her abdomen, lightly caressing her. It was a reflex gesture of comfort and he wasn't even consciously aware of it. She relaxed against him and waited for the moon.

Logan was the first to hear it. He sat up slowly and silently made his way toward where he thought Barek was. He bumped into her and slid his hand over her mouth before she could protest. "Shhh," he hissed in her ear. "Listen."

By the time she heard the quiet shuffle, Goren had also heard it. Eames felt him tense and she pulled away, getting to her feet. Behind her, he was up, on one knee, head to one side, waiting for the sound to come again. When it did, it was closer.

Each detective slipped behind a tree, gun drawn, waiting for the next shuffle. Goren glanced up at the sky. The glow of the moon was touching the eastern horizon, but it wouldn't rise above the hills before whatever made that sound was upon them or had passed them. The closer he listened, the more convinced he became that it wasn't human. It sounded smaller, and the pattern of its noise indicated it was foraging or hunting, not looking for them. He opted to let it pass, hoping the others would follow his lead. Of course, if Logan decided to jump out and say "boo" they would have to deal with whatever consequence came of that action.

But nothing happened. They remained quietly against the trees and the quiet shuffle continued past them toward the lakeshore. The shuffling sound faded, leaving only the sound of the crickets to disturb the night. Logan reached out to gently grab Barek's arm and he led her over to where Goren and Eames had just stepped out from their cover. "What was that?" Logan whispered softly.

"An animal," Goren replied, just as softly. "Probably a raccoon."

"How much longer do we have to sit here?"

"Not much. Moon's coming up now."

Logan looked up into the sky, where the moon was just starting to clear the hills and climb into the sky high enough to give them some light. In short order, they were able to see each other's forms in the dim light. The black woods faded to gray and they could make out trees amid the shadow. "Are we ready to go now?" Goren said softly.

"I guess," Logan reluctantly consented.

They started off, heading deeper into the woods, walking slowly and quietly. A snapped twig here, a shuffled leaf there…nothing to raise alarm in a forest full of animals. The island was not so far out into the lake that the animals could not swim out to forage. The hooting call of a nearby owl drowned out the chirping of the crickets, as did the occasional cicada. It was very different from the sounds and sirens of the urban jungle they were used to.

As the trees began to thin, they slowed their progress to a crawl. There was a clearing in front of them. They crept to the edge of the dense wood, remaining hidden among the foliage. In the center of the clearing was a small fire ring. A small tent sat on the far end of the clearing, not far from where the lake lapped up onto the shore. Goren leaned toward the other three, his voice barely audible. "Eames and Barek, stay here. Come on, Logan."

Logan groaned softly. Goren was going to get them killed. But he silently followed the big detective back into the dense woods behind them.

When the woods began to thin, Goren dropped to a knee to watch the clearing. Logan almost fell over him. Goren caught him, hissing in his ear, "Pay attention."

"Sorry," Logan muttered. He was busy watching the forest around them for any signs of Wallace…or anything else that might pose a threat to them. He squatted beside Goren. "See anything?"

"No. We need to get closer."

Logan looked at him in the moonlight. "You've gotta have a screw loose in there."

"Shh…just come on."

He headed away from the small campsite toward the lake. Logan shook his head but followed, not sure which of them had the looser screw—Goren for leading or him for following. The trees ended suddenly, dropping off about four feet down into the lake. "Now what?"

Goren held up a hand. "Listen…"

Logan concentrated on trying to locate whatever it was Goren had heard. There it was… "Oh, shit…That's a motor."

"Get back."

They faded back into the trees and waited. Soon, a small raft came into view with a single person in it. It was Nicole. She piloted the raft close to the shore before climbing out and beaching it. She pulled a bag from the raft and walked casually to the tent, setting it inside. Then she walked to the fire ring and stirred the coals, adding small pieces of wood to the hot coals and coaxing them to flame. When the fire was burning to her satisfaction, she went back to the tent and withdrew the bag and a small duffle. They watched in silence as she went about preparing something in front of her. Logan placed a hand on Goren's shoulder and leaned forward to mutter in Goren's ear. "Is she cooking or brewing?"

Goren leaned back. "Does it matter?"

"So what are we gonna do?"

"Right now? Watch."

He patted the bigger cop's shoulder. "Good plan."

Wallace threw something on the fire that caused the flames to explode upward into the air. The men drew back further into the shadows of the trees around them. Goren leaned back toward Logan. "Let's get back to Eames and Barek." He was concerned about his partner. Logan nodded.

They slipped back into the trees and headed back to where they had left their partners.

Eames and Barek were watching Wallace tensely. "What do you think she's doing?" Barek asked quietly.

"I have no idea."

They heard a noise behind them. Both drew and turned. Logan stopped dead when he saw two guns pointed at him. "It just us," he hissed.

Holstering their weapons they returned to watching the woman at the fire. Logan knelt between them. Goren came up behind Eames, placing his hand on her back and whispering in her ear, "You ok?"

She nodded tensely, and he did not take his hand away. He just dropped to a knee beside her, watching to see what Wallace was up to. Eames leaned against his knee. Logan muttered, "Maybe she's making a deal with the devil."

Barek replied, "I wouldn't joke about that, if I were you, Logan."

"Who says I'm joking?"

Eames looked up at her partner's face. She had never seen an expression like that on his face before. "Bobby?"

He gently pressed his fingers into her back in response. Slowly he moved closer to her. Pressing his head against hers, he whispered, "We're doing this by the seat of our pants, Eames. I don't know what's going to happen, but this is it. However it comes out, I want you to remember something."

She looked at him, concerned. "Bobby…"

"Shhh…Just remember…no matter what…that I love you."

He kissed her lightly, then stood up, looking at Logan and Barek. "This is it. Let's go."

"Let's go?" Logan asked. "Let's go where?"

Goren met his eyes. "You remember the promise you made to me five months ago. I'm still holding you to it."

Logan didn't look away. "A promise is a promise."

Goren nodded and headed toward the campfire. Logan jumped up to follow. Eames grabbed his arm. "What promise, Mike?"

"I'll tell you later. Come on."

Drawing their weapons, they followed Goren into the clearing.


	22. The Final Round

Eames watched her partner stroll out into the clearing, drawing his gun, as casually as he did just about everything. She knew him well enough to see the underlying tension in his movements, though she doubted the others did. She slid her gun out of its holster and glanced at Logan and Barek, who had done the same. They walked out of the cover of the forest much more cautiously than Goren did.

"Hello, Nicole."

Wallace looked up from the fire, her look of surprise quickly suppressed. "Bobby. How nice to see you." She looked past him. "And you brought your friends."

"Yeah. They had so much fun last night, they wanted to come back for a second round."

Wallace laughed, but when she saw Eames step out from the shadows behind her partner, her humor faded and the smile left her face. Goren glanced over his shoulder. "What's wrong, Nicole? What? Are you surprised to see my partner?"

Wallace glared at Goren. "She's not supposed to be here."

"No, I guess she's not. But you didn't stick around to see, did you? That was sloppy of you, Nicole."

Her eyes narrowed as he moved around the fire. Logan moved, too, over to stand where Goren had just been. Wallace sneered at the big detective. "You did it, didn't you, Bobby?"

He looked innocent. "Did…did what?"

She shook her head. "But of course you did. You _had_ to save her…again." She looked at Eames. "He'll always be your white knight, detective." She stepped away from the fire, toward Goren, but he wouldn't let her get close. "What's the matter, Bobby? Don't you trust me?"

He laughed softly. "Trust you? Uh, no, Nicole. No, I don't."

She shook her head. "How inconvenient. Come on, Bobby. We are cast from the same mold, you and I. We're…products of our environment."

"No, we're not. We're products of our choices. Yeah, I admit we both had rough upbringings, but you never overcame that. You let it consume you and twist you into something…something evil."

He continued his journey around the fire, until his back was to the water…and her back was to the other detectives. Only then did he feel they were safe...at least for the moment. "And you are not?" she laughed her evil laugh. "You can't have grown up like you did without learning to hate."

"Sure I learned to hate. But I moved past that, and you never did." He shook his head. "But this isn't about me, Nicole." He pointed at her. "This is about you, and the evil _you_ became." His voice rose with his agitation. "Everywhere you go, death and mayhem follow! You killed that couple in Eames' old apartment…for nothing! There was no reason for you to do that!"

"But there was, Bobby. I killed them, and that allowed me to let you live. I'm sure you realize how easy it would have been for me to have killed you, there in your apartment. Just how…drunk were you…and why?"

"That's not…not any of your business."

She just laughed. "So what are you going to do now, Bobby? I am unarmed."

"Yeah, I remember what happened the last time you told me that."

"Oh, there you go, bringing that up again."

He began pacing the shoreline, gun still in his hand. "Then tell me why, Nicole. Why did you do it? Why try to kill me? And then last night...you tried to kill Eames...and this morning, Logan. Have you let your hate get the better of you?"

She studied him. "Your pretty little partner is in the way. I could see it in your eyes, back in that motel, what you feel for her. I saw the fear, not for your life, but for hers. You showed me your true weakness then. You gave me the key to defeating you, the only way to destroy you...and you never had to say a word to do it. But why did I try to kill you? That was an impulsive action, but the truth of the matter is, if I can't have you, then no one can."

He stopped pacing, staring at her. "What?"

"Come on, Bobby, admit it. We are part of one another. We always have been, and we always will be…until…now how does it go? Until death do we part?"

"No, Nicole. You are not a part of me, and you never have been. You're just another criminal mind for me to figure out."

"And have you…figured me out?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I have."

She started toward him, but he still wouldn't let her close to him. She smiled. "Once burned, twice shy?"

"Something like that."

There was a sudden rustle of movement from behind her. She turned around to see what was going on just as Logan bolted from where he was and ran toward them.


	23. Underestimated

Logan scrambled past the fire and hit Goren square in the midsection, knocking them both into the lake. As they fell, gunfire erupted from the other side of the fire.

"What the hell…? Get off me, Logan!"

Both men scrambled out of the water and ran toward the fire. Goren slid to a stop, looking from Eames to Barek, and then to the body by the fire in front of them. A pistol had somehow materialized in Wallace's hand. He looked back at Eames. "You're ok?"

"Yes."

He looked at Logan and Barek. "And the two of you?"

Barek nodded. "Fine."

Logan shrugged. "Just wet."

He stepped toward Logan. "What the hell got into you?"

"Your friggin' partner did, that's what."

He turned to his partner, head tilted to the left, an unspoken question in his eyes. She shook her head. "Don't look at me like that, Goren. She drew on you; did you even know that? She had a gun in her waistband." The look on his face told her he'd had no idea. "You get so involved in your verbal sparring, and she was counting on that." She studied her partner, not sure whether to be mad or not. "You know as well as I do that she wasn't going to let us take her in. She had it all planned out. She was going to walk away from this, and you were not. Having the three of us along was a challenge, not the deterrent it should have been. She never expected us to do anything without a signal from you. That's why she felt comfortable turning her back to us and concentrating on you. She knew she wouldn't miss your signal. And I knew you'd never give us any signal. So I took matters into my own hands. I took care of my partner. I told Logan to take you down and Carolyn and I took care of her. We saw her pull the gun, but we never gave her a chance to fire." She shook her head. "You did it again, partner. You underestimated her. I saw it in your face. I don't know what she had planned, but if you had confronted her on your own, like you had planned to..." She shook her head, looking away from him. "She made the mistake of not finishing you off in Seaside. She was not going to repeat that mistake. But this time _she_ underestimated _us_."

He stepped toward her, but she turned away. So he left her alone and turned his attention toward the body by the fire. He walked over to Nicole's body and squatted beside it, studying it. One, two, three…three bullets…two to the chest, one to the head. He gently rubbed his side, not even aware he was doing it. The other three detectives just watched him. "What's going through that head of yours, Goren?" Logan asked.

Goren leaned back on his heels. "Relief, mainly." He looked over his shoulder. "The threat is over."

Eames knew exactly what he meant. The threat to others…to his friends, to his mother, to her. He still minimized the threat Nicole had ever presented to him. "So is the threat to you, Bobby, whether you choose to believe there was ever a threat or not."

He looked at her and it unnerved her that she could not tell what he was thinking. He didn't say anything. He just stood up and walked away. "Where's he going?" Barek asked.

"He needs to think, and he wants to be alone. He's not going far. It's a small island."

She walked away, sitting on a fallen log, just watching the still form by the fire. Logan and Barek looked at one another. "Go talk to her, Mike. I'll see how Bobby's doing."

"Right." He watched her head off into the woods before he turned and walked toward Eames. He had no idea what he was going to say, but she sure looked like she could use some comforting.

He sat beside her on the log. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"What are you thinking?"

"I told you I wouldn't believe she was dead until I saw it with my own eyes."

"There she is. Don't you believe she's dead?"

"Oh, I believe it. I killed her."

"You did the right thing, you and Barek. Yours was the head shot, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. I knew she didn't have a heart, but she sure as hell had a brain."

"Good point. Now tell me what's really bothering you."

She looked off toward the woods. "I can't tell what he's thinking, or feeling."

"He's gotta feel at least some relief. After all, she was gunning for you because she was jealous of you."

"Jealous?"

"Tell me you didn't pick up on that. I don't know what kind of thing she had for him, but you interfered with that. You kept him grounded and prevented him from going too deep into her game. If she'd have gotten her hooks in him, there would have been no getting him back. You kept him from that. You kept him from her. And he loves you. I don't think that's something she could ever know or feel. The closest she could ever come was obsession. You were everything she couldn't be and you had everything she couldn't have…and it all revolved around him."

She half smiled at him. "Where'd you get all that, Mike?"

He returned her smile. "Barek and I talked about it. She's pretty smart."

She laughed and hugged him. "Thanks, Mike." Sitting back, she returned her eyes to the forest. "Do you think he's ok?"

"Yeah, I think he's ok. You're not mad at him again, are you?"

"Aggravated, maybe. But no, I'm not mad at him."

"Good. 'Cause it really sucks when you're mad at him."

------------------------------

Barek found him sitting on a boulder near the water's edge. She picked up a stone and lobbed it into the lake, enjoying the plunking sound of the stone dropping into the water. He looked over his shoulder at her. She smiled. "What are you thinking about?"

"Eames," he said softly.

"She's thinking about you, too."

"She is?"

She nodded, wondering why he seemed surprised. "She's worried about you. You know, about how you're handling this. She's the one that fired the killing shot."

"Why would that matter to me?"

"So you're not upset that Nicole is dead?"

"Not really. She put me through hell. And everyone else, too. She was evil, Barek. And it gives me a sick feeling every time I think of her having anything to do with Eames. Whenever I think about the time she spent with Nicole before Mike rescued her down in Seaside…"

"You had something to do with that, too, you know. Don't give Logan all the credit."

"Yeah, I got myself stabbed and nearly died. Look what _that_ did to her." He ran a hand over his hair in frustration. "No wonder she gets so angry with me."

"I don't think she's mad, Bobby. But I do think you need to talk to her."

"Why? She knows how I feel. We already talked about it."

"You need to go and tell her that it's not Nicole you're all upset about."

"Nicole? Why would I be upset…" Realization dawned slowly, but when it came, it hit with all the force of a freight train. "No. No, she can't think…She doesn't, does she?"

"Ask her."

He looked up at the moon, then back at Barek. "You're her best friend…"

"No, I'm not. You are."

He looked thoughtful. She followed him as he headed back toward the campfire.

Eames was still sitting on the log when he came up behind her. He laid a hand on her shoulder as he straddled the log beside her so he could face her. He gently brushed her hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Please," he said softly. "Please don't think I'm upset because she's dead. Because I-I'm not."

"So tell me what's troubling you."

"I-It's not what you think. I just…every time I think about what's happened, about any time she's had any contact with you, about what she put you through five months ago…it…upsets me."

"What she put _me_ through? _You're_ the one she almost killed."

"But that's different, Eames. I didn't know…what w-was going on. Not until it was…over. You had to sit through every…every minute of it. _That_ is what troubles me."

"But it's over now."

"Is it? When you close your eyes to dream, is it over?"

She slid closer to him, placing her hand lightly against his chest. "What about you, Bobby? When you dream, what do you see? Why is it you sleep on the couch at night?"

He looked at her through half-closed eyes. "You know I don't s-sleep…well. I don't think I ever have. Why should my restlessness disturb your sleep? As for what I see…I see things I hope to God you never do. I relive things…I see people…" He shook his head. "Everything wrong I have ever…had a hand in comes back to visit me when I sleep."

"Don't you ever have good dreams?"

He smiled, leaning forward to rest his forehead against the side of her head and speaking softly into her ear. "Sometimes. And when I do, you're always in them."

She smiled back at him and leaned into his arms. He held her against him protectively and kissed the top of her head. Sliding her arms around him, she hugged him tight, needing him as close to her as he could get. He rested his cheek against her head and closed his eyes.

"Hey, guys…"

Eames looked toward Logan. "What are we gonna do? Deakins is on his way."

Goren lifted his head. "He is?"

"Yeah. Barek called him."

"How'd she do that?"

"On the phone, moron."

Barek came over and smacked him. "Don't be obnoxious, Logan. I grabbed the phone before we left the cabin."

"But the lake…"

"I found a ziplock in the shed when I went back for the anchor, so it stayed nice and dry."

Goren smiled at her. "Good job, Carolyn."

Eames sighed and said "Someone has to stay here with the body until the coroner arrives."

"Logan and I will stay if you guys want to go tell Deakins what happened."

Goren looked at his partner. "It's up to you."

Her first thought was that she wanted to get him away from Wallace. "Ok, let's go."

Goren looked at Logan. "You ok with it."

"Sure. I wasn't looking forward to the swim anyway."

Half an hour later, Goren was tying up to the dock and helping his partner from the boat. "Why didn't we launch from the dock?"

"Too conspicuous."

They headed up toward the cabin. She slipped her hand into his. "Do you think Deakins will call the locals?"

"For what? He'll have Rodgers and her people deal with the body. After all, it was our case."

"So we just have to wait for him?"

He nodded. "He should be here soon."

She headed up the steps to the porch and waited while he unlocked the door. They went into the cabin and headed upstairs to change into dry clothes.

After changing, Eames knocked on his door. "Yeah."

She entered the room and looked at him. He was sitting on the bed without a shirt on, rubbing his forehead. "Headache?" she asked.

"Yeah. Major."

"You ok otherwise?"

He nodded. "Just tired. Very tired."

She sat beside him. "Why don't you lie down for a little while? I'll get you some…"

Her sentence was lost when he leaned over and kissed her...and everything else followed.


	24. Deakins Arrives

Logan sat on the log Eames and Goren had vacated, watching the body by the fire with his gun drawn. Barek just looked at him. "What the hell do you think she's going to do?"

"I'm not takin' any chances. She jumped into the damn river after spilling half her blood all over the place, and she came back—after they said 'no way.' She jumped into the ocean and swam out to sea, and she came back. You and I _shot_ her yesterday, and look—she came back. See a pattern here? No. I'm not takin' any chances. She gets up and I'm ready."

"First of all, if she does get up, what the hell good is that gun going to do you since we've already shot her? Secondly, do you really think she's going to get up?"

"Anything is possible with her...unless you got silver bullets in your gun."

"Give me a friggin' break, Logan. She's not a demon, or a werewolf, or a vampire, or a figment of Goren's imagination that he decided to share with us. She's real flesh and blood, just like you and me. She was devious and calculating and twisted…and evil. But that doesn't mean that she's impervious to bullets."

"So how the hell did she survive last night?"

"Bullet proof vest."

"What?"

"Over in the tent. I looked. It's got four impact sites, and I'll bet her torso has the bruises to support that. She was ready last night. She never expected us tonight. Bobby was right to seek her out. She expected him to wait for her to come to him, like he always did. Eames thinks he underestimated her, and maybe he did, but he was also two steps ahead of her and he beat her at her own game, just like he usually does on a case."

"He made a lot of mistakes, now and five months ago."

"And don't you think he's paid for every one of them, several times over? Alex said he was different when Nicole was involved. I think that she was, too. She was really hard on him, and she called him on every single mistake he made. She's not usually like that, not with Bobby."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Especially since Seaside."

"I can't blame her there. That was a huge mistake and he nearly died for it."

"It made her gunshy, I suppose."

She studied her partner. "I think I'd have responded the same way if I were her and you were being an idiot."

Logan frowned. "What makes you say he was being an idiot?"

She smiled. "I'm talking about you, Logan. You don't react to things like he does. When you get uncomfortable or overwhelmed, you're an idiot, like sitting here in the dark, watching over a dead body with a loaded gun drawn, so she won't get up and run off on you."

"Yeah, well, better safe than sorry. I kinda like having Goren around, and she was intent on killing him. She's dead and I'm gonna make damn sure she stays that way."

She laughed and kissed his forehead. "You are an idiot."

----------------------------------------------------------

Deakins pulled up to the cabin and got out of the car. Looking around, he marveled at how peaceful it was. He was more than a little annoyed that his four detectives had not called him when Wallace showed up. No, they waited until it was all over. He headed up the steps onto the porch and into the cabin. "Hello?" he called out.

No answer.

"Anybody here?"

He heard a door open and close. Eames came down the stairs. "Hi, Captain."

He looked at her for a moment. "What the hell were you four thinking? I gave you that phone so you could call me and let me know what the hell was going on, like if Wallace turned up."

"I'm sorry about that, but we decided it was time to end this once and for all, and if we had a hundred cops crawling all over the area, she would be nowhere to be found for who knows how long. We wanted to draw her out, not drive her underground. So we decided it was time to go after her instead of waiting for her to come to us."

"We? Don't you mean Goren?"

"It was his suggestion, but we all agreed with him."

"Where is he?"

"Upstairs, asleep."

"Is he ok?"

"Yes. He just needs to recuperate. We had our first run-in with her last night, and she tried to kill me. He…got in the way."

"Got in the way? Of what?"

"She had a gun. No one got shot, but Bobby hit his head, and so did I. I think I cracked a rib or two as well. They still hurt like hell."

"Where are Logan and Barek?"

"Out on the island with the body, waiting for Rodgers and her team."

"There's no doubt she's dead?"

"No doubt."

Deakins let out his breath slowly. "Ok, Alex. I'll deal with the four of you together. Get your partner and let's go on out to the island."

She nodded and headed back up the stairs. Deakins heard a door open and close again. He sighed, dropped down on a couch and ran a hand over his face.

Eames sat down on the bed beside her partner, reaching out and lightly brushing his curls back from his forehead. "Hey, Bobby."

He grunted, slowly opening his eyes. "Something wrong?"

"Kind of." She fingered the soft hair on his chest, and he groaned softly. "Deakins is here," she said quietly. "And he's not happy."

"I didn't think he would be." He sighed heavily. "Ok. I'm up."

She stood up and stepped away from the bed so he could get up. He started toward the door, stopping to give her a soft kiss. "Thanks, Eames," he said.

"For what?"

"For standing by me and not losing your faith. I…I need you, and I don't think I could take it if you…if you lost your trust in me. Anybody else, even Deakins, maybe, but not you."

She slid her arms around him, resting her head on his chest, and she squeezed firmly. He kissed the top of her head. Stepping from his embrace she headed to the door, opening it. He grabbed a shirt and waited for her to pass through the doorway before following her and closing the door behind him.

Deakins looked up, watching the two detectives come down the stairs. He stood up and just looked at them. He could tell that Goren had indeed been sleeping, and he looked…exhausted. "Sorry to disturb you, Bobby. But you have some decisions to defend."

Goren nodded as he pulled on his shirt. "Yeah, I know."

"Let's go out to the island. Rodgers and her team will be here within the hour, and I want to talk to the four of you together."

"Talk to us, or yell at us?" Goren asked.

Deakins suppressed a grin. "Both."

-----------------------------------------------------

Logan heard voices in the woods and stood up, nudging Barek. She frowned, listening intently. "Deakins," she said. "Probably with Alex and Bobby. Put that thing away, Logan."

Reluctantly, he slid his gun into its holster as the three cops came into the clearing. Eames pointed over toward the fire. "The body's over there, Captain."

Logan studied Goren. "You look like shit."

"Thanks."

"What? No more of that gut-rocking adrenaline to keep you going?"

"I guess not."

Deakins squatted beside the body, reaching out to feel for a carotid pulse. "Who fired the shots?" he asked.

"Eames and I did," Barek replied. "But not until she drew on Goren."

He looked at the gun in Wallace's hand, then he looked at Goren. "What did you do when she drew?"

"I found myself in the lake."

"What?"

"That would have been my doing," Logan answered. "He never saw the gun. I tackled him while Eames and Barek took care of Wallace."

Deakins studied Goren. "You never saw her draw?"

Goren shook his head. Eames spoke up in his defense. "He was involved in a sparring match with her. It was up to us to watch her, so he could deal with trying to get her into custody. He, well, _we_ didn't realize she had no intention of coming with us. She planned to take out the four of us and walk away. We had a different plan."

Goren studied his partner intently but he said nothing. He just walked over to the log Logan was sitting on and sat beside him. Logan leaned closer to him. "You really do look bad. You feel ok?"

"No," he answered.

Deakins looked from one detective to the next. Finally he said, "When she first confronted you out here, you should have called me."

Goren shook his head. "You would have had the locals out here looking for her. They'd have driven her away and then who knows when she would have surfaced again. None of us would have been safe then, including you and your family, Captain. We couldn't take that risk. So we dealt with it and we took care of her."

"And that was your idea, wasn't it, Goren?"

"Uh, yes."

"But we agreed with him," Barek put in.

"All of you?" He looked at Logan, knowing without a doubt Eames would have gone along with her partner; she always did.

Logan caught his look. "Yeah," he answered. "I agreed with him. You know, Captain, I didn't have the kind of history with Wallace that he did, but I was fed up with her shit. It's our job to deal with psychos like her who threaten the well-being of others, and that's exactly what we did."

"He's right," Goren muttered. "We did our job."

Deakins replied, "But you risked…"

Goren looked at him. "Our lives? Isn't that also our job?"

Before he could answer, his phone rang. He pulled it out. "Deakins."

He walked away from them, giving directions. "Thanks, Mike," he said quietly. Then he looked at Eames.

She raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"You…" He just sighed, not finishing his thought.

But she understood. She always understood. And she said simply, "Yes."

She would always defend him, stand up for him and support him, even if she didn't entirely agree with him. It's what partners did.


	25. Country Vacation for a City Boy

The four detectives sat around the great room, waiting for Deakins to finish with Rodgers. They didn't say much, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Logan broke the silence, keeping his voice quiet. "We didn't do anything wrong."

"No, we didn't," Eames agreed. "And it all turned out well because we worked together."

Goren had leaned back into the corner of the couch and closed his eyes, but he was listening, and he knew she'd said that for his benefit. He opened one eye and looked at her. She smiled. He reached out and touched her arm, letting his eye close again.

The porch door slammed closed and Deakins came in the front door. He stopped and looked at the four detectives. Logan didn't look at him, but he said, "Please don't tell us Wallace got up and disappeared."

"What do you want me to tell you?"

All four of them looked at him. He smiled. "Gotcha."

"Not friggin' funny," Logan grumbled.

"She's on her way back to New York with Rodgers." He crossed the room and sat down. "I am disappointed in you four. You should have called me. I understand why you didn't…but you could have explained…"

"You know it wouldn't have mattered. You would have felt the…need to protect us. That's why we were out here in the first place," Goren said without opening his eyes.

Logan sighed. "We stuck together and we got through it. That's another reason you sent us out here together…to look out for each other. So…when do we come back from Kansas?"

Deakins stood up. "I want you to stay out here for the rest of the week and rest. I'll come back to get you on Sunday and you can report in for work Monday morning. Alex, do you need to see a doctor?"

She rubbed her sore ribs. "I don't think so. They don't hurt as badly as they did."

"Bobby?"

He waved a hand. "I just need some rest."

"If you're sure…" He looked at Logan and Barek. "You two are ok?"

"Fine," Barek answered.

"All right, then. I'll see you on Sunday. Call if you need anything."

He left the cabin, and they heard his car start and drive off. Logan stretched. "A mini vacation. Nice."

Barek smiled. "A country vacation for a city boy. You ready to get indoctrinated, Logan?"

"Indoctrinated to what?"

She grinned. "Nature."

"I thought we'd just hang out here in the cabin…"

"Think again, cowboy."

He rolled his eyes. "Great."

Goren laughed and Logan threw a couch cushion at him. "That goes for you, too, you know."

"Hey, I'm not trying to get out of anything. I like being outdoors."

"That just figures."

"It's not as bad as you seem to think it is," Barek said.

"Let's see…biting bugs, poison ivy, skunks and bears, piranha, alligators…"

Goren started laughing again. "Sharks and tigers, right, Logan? Shit. Those animals are more afraid of you than you are of them."

"Wanna bet?"

"As for poison ivy, you learn to identifyit and you stay away from it."

Logan looked from one person to the next. "I'm not sure if I trust any one of you to be honest with me in identifying poison ivy."

Goren lifted his head and looked wounded. "I'll show you."

"Promise you won't toss me into it."

"I promise."

Logan studied him. "Ok, I'll trust you."

The big cop rubbed his forehead. "I need to lie down for awhile right now."

Eames grabbed his arm. "You need to eat."

He waved her off. "Not now. Maybe later."

He got up and went upstairs to his room. Barek looked at her partner. "If you don't want to wait for Bobby to feel better, Alex and I will show you what poison ivy is."

Logan looked at her intently. "No thank you. I'll wait for Goren."

"Coward."

"I'd rather be a coward without a rash than a brave man with one, thank you very much. Now, I'm going to get something to eat because I'm starving. You ladies are welcome to join me."

"Oh, sure…now you're a gentleman. Hypocrite."

Eames watched them head into the kitchen, but her mind was elsewhere. She got off the couch and headed up the stairs. Knocking softly on his door, she heard no reply. Quietly opening the door, she slipped into the dark room. Standing in the quiet of the room, she listened, and she could hear his deep, rhythmic breathing. He was sleeping. She crossed the room and lightly lay down on the bed beside him. He shifted in his sleep, slipping his arm around her, but he didn't awaken. She nestled into his body and quickly went to sleep, feeling comfortable and secure in his arms.


	26. Worried

Logan was sitting by the grill when Goren came out onto the back deck to join him. "Hey, how do you feel?" he asked as he flipped the burgers on the grill.

"Better." He sat down on the perimeter bench.

"Where's Alex?"

"Out on the porch with Carolyn. I guess it's time for girl talk."

"Crap. They're plotting."

"Plotting what?"

"Get with the program here! We have almost a week out here in the woods with them. This is their chance to get back at us for every stupid thing we've done." Goren frowned, thinking. Logan stared at him. "What the hell are you thinking about?"

"I'm trying to think of anything I've done that would have pissed her off enough to try to get back at me out here."

"Well, I don't have to think. I do shit like that on a daily basis."

"I know that."

"Are you sure they haven't said anything to you?"

He shook his head. "Not a word."

"Maybe you could ask Alex…"

"Oh, no. I'm not about to do anything that's going to put me in the same category as you with either one of them."

"What happened to solidarity?"

"It went out the window with Eames and Barek." He raised his hands. "I am staying out of this."

"Coward."

"You got that right. I've been Eames' partner long enough to know that pissing her off is a bad thing. A very bad thing."

"So you don't think she's going to do anything to get you for this whole Wallace thing?"

He looked thoughtful again. "I don't know."

"You did break her ribs."

"She said she wasn't mad about that. And I didn't do it intentionally."

"It still pissed her off."

"No. It pissed her off that I underestimated Nicole and her threat to me. Several times. But, if she's going to get me back for _that_, I'm ok with it."

"You're what? Is your head on straight, man?"

He shrugged. "If it'll make her feel better…"

Logan just looked at him. "I give up. I am not even going to try to figure you out any more. It's not worth the headache."

He turned back to the burgers. They both looked toward the cabin when the door opened and the women came out onto the deck. "Done plotting?" Logan asked.

"Plotting what?" Barek wanted to know.

"My introduction to nature."

She started laughing. Eames smiled and sat beside her partner, leaning against him. He slid his arm around her. Logan frowned at his partner. "What are you laughing at?"

Goren didn't let his smile through, but his eyes were bright with amusement. "He's really worried."

Logan glared at him. "Just wait…you might find a snake in your bed."

Eames and Barek laughed while Goren rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully. "First of all, who's going to put it there? They aren't out to get me, and I can't see you running through the woods chasing down a snake. Secondly, why are you giving them ideas?"

"Ideas? Oh, shit! Look, you two…"

Barek collapsed into a chair and Eames was holding her sides. Logan looked at Goren, who wasn't laughing, but he had one of those smiles that worried him. Logan groaned. "I am _so_ screwed."


	27. Wandering Thoughts

A gentle spring breeze blew through the trees as the sun slipped toward the western horizon. Eames and Barek were sitting on the deck playing cards while Goren and Logan threw a football back and forth in the clearing. "Gin," Eames grinned.

Barek laughed. "Goren's right. You are good."

She smiled. "I can even beat him once in awhile, if I get the right cards."

"I'm bored with gin. How about we join them for some football?"

"That sounds like it could be fun."

They came down the steps into the clearing. Logan saw them first and, grinning, he yelled, "Hey, Barek!"

She turned toward him as he threw the ball to her. She caught it easily and threw it back to him. "Wanna play touch?" she asked.

"That depends. What can I touch?"

"Smart ass. What about you, Goren?"

"That's fine with me."

Logan rubbed his hands together. "Ok, let's choose up sides. I want Eames."

Goren suppressed a smile. "Ok, Mike."

Logan's eyes narrowed. "You agreed to that awfully quick."

"You want an argument? Why so suspicious?"

"Who? Me? Why on earth would I be suspicious? Come on, Alex."

Goren caught Eames' eye and she smiled at him. "Better watch yourself, partner," she said.

He just smiled before trotting to the opposite side of the clearing with Barek.

The first time Logan grabbed his partner around the waist and tackled her, he swore he forgot they were playing touch. He and Goren were used to playing tackle. The second time, he said it was a mistake. The third time, he ran for his life.

Eames shook her head as they disappeared into the woods, stepping up to her laughing partner. "Why does he do that?"

"He's just working off the stress of the last week and a half."

"And what about you, Goren? You don't work off your stress by annoying the crap out of me."

"No. I have other ways I prefer to deal with my stress."

"Really?"

He slid his arms around her and pressed his forehead to hers. "Really."

Logan ran back into the clearing, breathing hard and looking over his shoulder. He slid to a halt behind Goren and Eames as Barek came into view. Goren laughed again. "Are you expecting protection, Mike?"

"No, idiot, I'm hiding."

"Too late," Eames warned. "She's seen you."

"Crap!" He backed away, holding up his hands. "Ok, ok, I give!"

Barek closed in on him, and he continued backing up. Eames pointed to the trees behind him as he came to the edge of the clearing. "Mike! Watch out!"

Logan tripped and fell backwards into the underbrush. Trying hard not to laugh, Goren came forward. "Uh, Mike…remember I promised to show you what poison ivy looks like?"

"No…don't tell me…"

"Look around you. That's it."

"Ah, shit…"

Still trying not to laugh, Goren told him, "Hurry up and get in the shower. You might be able to minimize the rash by washing off the oil. Use lots of soap and toss those clothes in the washer."

Logan got up and looked at his partner. She smiled, also trying not to burst out laughing. "Sorry, Mike."

"Yeah, you will be."

He trotted up the steps and into the house. Barek looked at the other two detectives. "He's not going to be happy."

"What was your first clue?" Eames asked.

"I guess the least I can do is throw his clothes in the washer."

"Use gloves, Carolyn," Goren warned, as he followed the two women into the cabin.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

When Logan came out of the shower, he glared around the room. Barek choked back a snigger, and Logan looked at her. "You think this is funny?"

"I'm sorry, Mike. I really didn't intend…"

"Yeah, I know."

He looked at Eames, sitting on the couch, and Goren, standing behind her. "Hey, I warned you," Eames said. Goren just raised his hands and backed up half a step.

Logan sighed. "How about we play a nice, safe game, right here in the cabin?"

"Like what?" Eames asked.

He looked at Goren. "Is there a game you haven't figured out yet?"

Goren waved a hand at him. "I'm not going to play right now."

Eames looked up at him. He leaned over and spoke softly into her ear, then kissed her cheek. She touched his hand before he stepped away. "Are you sure?"

He nodded, letting his fingers touch her cheek as a small smile played at his lips. He turned and headed out of the house. Barek frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No. He's just going for a walk." She leaned back and said, "Since the genius doesn't want to play right now, how about Scrabble? When he gets back, he can play catch up."

Logan grinned. "I like that idea."

------------------------------------------------------

The lake's water licked gently at the shoreline as Goren wandered between the dense trees and the lakeshore. The sun was touching the distant mountains to the west, casting the woods around him in the dark shadow of advancing twilight. He grabbed a stick from the ground, turning it over in his hands as he continued along the shoreline. He was letting his mind wander where it would.

His mind had little opportunity to wander at will when they were working a case. While this case had not been a particularly difficult one to figure out, since they knew who was behind it and he was more familiar with the mind of Nicole Wallace than he wanted to be, it had been terribly taxing on his emotions. He had often wondered how he would feel if it came down to the wire and Wallace had to be taken out. To his relief, there was no sorrow…just a sense of…liberation. His gut had told him long ago that the inevitable result of this years'-long showdown between him and Wallace was going to be that, eventually, only one of them would walk away. His fingers lightly ran over the now-healed injury in his side. Five months ago he had nearly been the one who did not walk away. Last night, it was over. And what it all boiled down to—his survival and Nicole's death—was Eames.

Eames…his partner…more than his partner…He had nearly lost his mind when he realized she had become Wallace's target to get to him. Damn her, Wallace had come to realize just how important his partner was to him, in spite of the fact that he had tried to keep that hidden. He was able to keep the depth of his attachment from most of the world, at least he thought so. Logan and Barek knew, but he didn't worry about them. Lewis, of course, knew. Lewis knew more of his secrets than anyone on the planet. Deakins, he suspected, also had an idea. But to the rest of the world, they were partners who had become best friends with a strong attachment and nothing more. No one else knew exactly what she had come to mean to him.

He heard a twig snap behind him and he smiled. "Is your game over already?"

"What do you mean already? You've been out here for over two hours."

He had been so lost in his thoughts he had not noticed that darkness had fully descended. He had just been walking, fiddling with the stick and thinking. He tossed the stick into the water and turned to look at her. "Come here," he said softly.

She stepped into his arms and he pulled her close, holding her firmly against him. She laid her head against his chest, comforted by the sound of his heartbeat. She had considered asking him what he was thinking about, but she changed her mind. It didn't matter. She let her fingers trail along his waist, just above the waistband of his jeans. He kissed her head, still holding her against him. She was his anchor to reality, the grounding force that enabled him to do his job better than he ever had. He could dig deeper, immerse himself further into the criminal mind, because she was there and he always came back to her. She made him the effective cop he was.

He tipped himself sideways to look into her face. She was relieved to see that his eyes were clear, bright with the passion only she aroused and devoid of the shadows that dwelled there far too often. She kissed him lightly, letting him pull her closer and deepen the kiss. She softly groaned when his tongue slipped past her lips to explore her mouth. With great effort, she stepped back from his arms. He staggered slightly before he straightened and looked at her, confused. She stepped back a little further, a teasing smile on her face. "You catch me, Goren, and you can do anything you want."

Then she was gone, running through the woods like a rabbit. It took a moment for her words to register before he took off after her at a dead run.

---------------------------------------------------

Logan watched Barek look through the cabinet, looking for a movie for the four of them to watch. They had discovered that watching a movie to relax at night was something all four of them enjoyed. They rotated choosing movies with the agreement that none would complain about the choice for the evening. That left Logan free to choose the science fiction and war movies he favored while Eames and Barek could choose any chick flick they wanted. Goren was never particular and usually went for middle of the road choices, like a classic or light comedy. He refused to get into the battle of the chick flicks versus science fiction/war movies, not even for Eames.

They heard the back door bang open and Eames charged through the room and up the stairs, followed closely by her partner. They heard a bedroom door slam, then open and slam again. Logan looked at Barek. "What just happened?"

"I don't know. And I'm not sure I want to know."

"You think she pissed him off?"

Barek laughed. "No, Mike. I doubt very much that she pissed him off." She turned back to the cabinet. "I'll give you a break tonight. No chick flick."

He laughed. "You don't think they'll be down?"

"Not any time soon."

She put the movie into its tray, closed the back door and sat beside him on the couch. He slid his arm around her and pulled her toward him. She made herself comfortable, nestled against his side, and pressed 'play'.


	28. Rule Books and Being Fair

**A/N: Since I'm not quite ready to end this, this chapter is for TriStateCopFan since it was her suggestion that gave birth to it. :-) Conflict makes it interesting...but resolution makes it all worthwhile.**

* * *

Logan hit the pause button and got up from the couch about halfway through the movie. He went into the kitchen. Barek called after him,"You can't be hungry again." 

"Why not?"

"You're impossible, Logan."

"You want a sandwich?"

"No thanks. But I'll let you bring me a beer."

"You will? Should I feel privileged?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

He laughed and returned to the couch a few minutes later, handing her a beer as he sat beside her and took a bite of his sandwich. She looked at him suspiciously. "Did you shake it up?"

"You're a woman after my own heart, Barek. Paranoid. But no, I didn't, in deference to our esteemed captain and his furniture. Now when we're at my place, all bets are off."

"I'll remember that."

They both looked up toward the upstairs landing when they heard a door open and close. Goren came down the stairs and sat down at the far end of the couch. Logan leaned forward and looked at him. "You ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Where's Eames?"

"She'll be down soon."

Logan grinned broadly. "What'd you do to her?"

"Nothing she didn't, uh, want me to do."

"You're gonna hafta do better than that, Goren."

Barek smacked his shoulder. "Leave him alone."

"Like you and Eames aren't gonna be talking about it in another twenty minutes."

"Does the phrase mixed company mean anything to you, Logan?"

His reply was cut off when the phone rang. "Saved by the bell, Logan?" Goren laughed as he got up and grabbed the phone. "Goren...Hi, Captain...Yeah, we're fine..." His face faded into a frown and he crossed the room, stepping into the game room to continue the conversation.

Logan shrugged. "Maybe something with his mom. You know how he gets about that." He looked up as Eames came down the stairs. "Hey, tiger."

She smiled. "Where's Bobby?"

"In there, talking to Deakins."

"Is something wrong?"

He shrugged. "No idea."

She headed to the game room and slipped in the door. Goren was immersed in conversation. "No, sir...I don't have a 'thing' for anyone. It's just, she was alone all her life, chasing off anyone who ever tried to love her because she couldn't feel any love herself...No, hate is a different kind of passion. I feel...contempt, anger, certainly...I know, but just dumping her is hardly any kind of resolution...I _am_ doing this for Eames...No, I don't think so. This is one thing I don't think she'd understand...Ok, thanks, Captain."

He closed the phone and turned around, stopping dead when he saw her standing there, knowing by the look on her face that she'd heard too much. "Eames..."

"Don't. You're burying her."

"No. I'm just paying for it."

"Damn you, Goren..."

"Come on...just listen to me..."

"I'm done listening."

She stormed out of the room, slamming the door. Logan looked at Barek. "Uh, oh."

Goren came out of the room after her. "Eames..."

"Don't talk to me."

"Uh, what's going on?" Logan asked.

Eames turned on him. "He's paying for Wallace's funeral."

"No, I'm _not_," he protested. He looked at Logan and Barek. "Just her cremation. And I need to explain..."

"Don't bother!"

She stormed up the stairs and they heard her bedroom door slam. Goren ran his hand over his head. "Aw, fuck!" He punched the air and headed for the door. "I give up. This is just too damn hard."

The door slammed and he was gone. Logan and Barek looked at each other. "Paying for her cremation," Barek mused. "This is a new one."

"You get used to that with him."

"But this is Wallace..."

"And that's Goren."

"I don't blame her for getting mad."

"But she won't even let him explain. He's always got a reason."

"Maybe her obsession wasn't one-sided."

"Oh, bullshit, Barek. He had nothing for her. It's all Eames for him. You weren't there, in Seaside. Nicole was nothing to him; Eames is. He damn near lost it when Wallace took her."

"So why is he doing this?"

"I never said I understood him, so don't ask me to explain him. You gotta ask him to explain this one."

She sighed. "I'll go talk to her. You go find him."

"_Find_ him? He's out there in the woods--which, might I remind you, I don't particularly get along with--in the middle of the night, all pissed off, and he's got a gun. Do I _look_ stupid?" She just glared at him. "I guess I do. All right. I'll go find him. But my death is gonna be on your shoulders, partner."

He started toward the door. "Oh, Logan?"

"What?" She stepped forward and smacked him on the shoulder. "Ow! What was that for? I'm going!"

"That was for defending him."

"You're _always_ defending him!"

"Right. I'm allowed to."

"And I'm not?"

"Nope. It's against the rules."

"Rules? What rules? What about you and Eames ganging up on us?"

"That's allowed."

"I need to get me a copy of this damn rule book."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take him long to find Goren. He was down by the lake, pacing and muttering to himself. Logan leaned against a tree and just watched before he said, "You got a friggin' death wish?"

"I must. H-How is she?"

"What gives you the impression I even _thought_ about going up there to talk to her?"

"God, I really screwed up this time, didn't I?"

"Well, I just found out that apparently, there's a whole set of rules that we never get told about until we break 'em, and I'm just guessing, but you must have broke a whole bunch of 'em." When Goren just nodded, offering no protest, he frowned. "Why the hell does everyone know about these rules but me?"

"I...I'm not sure how to make this right, Mike."

"You go and make her listen to you."

"_Make_ her? Have you ever tried to make a woman do _anything_?"

"So how come they can make us do shit all the time?"

"I guess it's in the rule book." He hadn't stopped pacing and running his hand over his hair. "You know what? This is bullshit. I didn't do anything wrong, dammit. I...aw, the hell with this."

Confused, Logan watched him head back toward the cabin. "Goren..."

But he was already halfway to the cabin, and Logan decided to stay where he was for the time being. Fireworks were nice, but not indoors...unless it involed a nice warm body and maybe a bottle of wine...and hell, it really was a nice lake...

---------------------------------------------------------

The front door slammed and they heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. Barek looked at Eames. "Do you think..."

She never finished her sentence. The bedroom door banged open and Goren stood there, a dark, angry look on his face. He met Barek's eyes and nodded his head toward the hallway. "I need to talk to my partner," he growled.

Barek hesitated, looking at Eames, who nodded. "I'll be downstairs."

Once the door closed, he turned to her. "You have no business getting upset. You jumped to conclusions and wouldn't even let me explain. You convicted me on no evidence and condemned me without a trial. That's not fuckin' fair, Eames!"

She crossed her arms in front of her, feigning indifference. "Ok, fine. Tell me why."

He was too agitated to calm himself down. So she waited. He was pacing, clenching and unclenching his fists, unable to burn off enough energy to settle into a conversation. Finally, he looked at her. "I will...but dammit, doesn't it count for anything that I love you?"

He was gone from the room. She heard him go down the stairs, skipping two or three steps at a time, and she listened to Barek's voice, but did not hear him reply. The front door closed, but didn't slam. She went down to the great room and looked at Barek. "Where did he go?"

She shrugged. "He wouldn't talk to me."

"Don't feel bad. He decided not to talk to me, either."

"Then what was with all the shouting?"

"That was him, telling me I'm not being fair."

"And are you?"

"Nothing is fair where Nicole Wallace is concerned. He should know that." She looked around. "Where's Logan?"

"Good question. He went out after him the first time he left. Maybe Bobby tossed him in the lake."

Eames shook her head. "He was mad at me. He wouldn't have taken it out on Mike."

"Unless Mike pissed him off. He has a real gift for that."

As if in response to their concern, the door opened and Logan came in. "Did you see Bobby?" Eames asked.

"The last time I saw him, he was heading up this way. Didn't you see him?"

"Yeah, but he left again."

"Then no, I didn't see him. Just leave him alone. He'll do one of two things. He'll either calm down and come back, or he'll walk back to the city."

---------------------------------------------------

The glow of dawn was brightening the eastern sky when he came back to the cabin. Logan and Barek were long in bed, and Eames had fallen asleep on one of the couches. He headed for the stairs, until he saw her on the couch. Standing there, he watched her sleep, debating in his mind the wisdom of waking her. Finally, he walked over to the couch and eased himself onto the edge of the cushion beside her. Tenderly, he brushed her hair from her face. No matter what happened, he could never deny that he loved her. She stretched and opened her eyes. Letting her gaze scan his body, she returned her eyes to his face. "Are you ok?"

"If I say yes, are you going to kick my ass?"

She laughed. "No, not this time. Bobby, I am so sorry. You were right. I should have listened to you before getting so angry. I mean, when Mike Logan is the voice of reason, what the hell does that say about me?" She sighed. "I guess neither of us is very rational when it comes to Nicole Wallace."

"I thought I _was_ being rational for a change. She...caused you a lot of grief, and so did I. They were just going to dump her body in an unmarked grave."

"And you think she deserves better?"

"No. I think you do. She's dead, but somehow, nothing is ever final with her. So I am making it final. I told Deakins to have her cremated. No urn, no memorial, nothing like that. Just cremated. That way, she's gone, for good. She won't be coming back, ever...well, except in my nightmares." He shrugged. "But that's my problem. I'm sorry I upset you. I certainly didn't mean to. I never intended for you to find out I was behind it, because I was afraid you'd react the way you did. I...I love you, Alex...and only you."

She sat up and slid her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek, sliding her mouth to cover his. He closed his eyes and lowered her back onto the couch, pressing his body against hers. He groaned. "Bobby?" she muttered against his mouth.

He pulled his head back and looked at her. "What, Alex?"

"Sit up."

He did as she asked, leaning his head back. She ran her fingers through his hair. "I was wrong, ok? I should have let you explain, and I'm really sorry. I...should have known better, and I'm ashamed I didn't. I just...I hear her name and my brain shuts down. I just see red."

"I'll remember that, and I won't mention her again. I'm done with her, Alex. I've suffered enough...and so have you."

She nodded in agreement and got up from the couch. She leaned down suddenly, pressing her mouth firmly against his, sliding her hand under his shirt and lightly running her fingers over his skin. He caught his breath, then relaxed as she lowered herself onto his lap. Pulling back, she slipped his shirt up over his head, then kissed him deeply, sliding her tongue past his lips. Drawing another moan from him, she jumped up, with another smile and a kiss. "I'm not going to have Logan walk in on us, Goren," she whispered into his ear. "He gives us enough shit as it is."

She gently nipped his ear and headed up the stairs. He groaned softly. "Dammit, Eames..." Rule book, hell..._this_ was how they did it... He pushed himself off the couch and chased her up the stairs again.


	29. They Own Us

Eames rested her chin on her hands across her partner's chest, watching his face. From under heavy lids, he studied her in return. His fingers lightly brushed over the skin on her back. "Forgive me?" he whispered.

"Yes. Understand you? No."

He laughed softly. "Sorry."

With the tip of one finger, she traced circles on his chest. "Don't be. You keep life interesting."

"Interesting? Is that what you call it?"

"What do you call it?"

"Stressful. I don't like you being mad at me, Eames."

"I don't particularly like being mad at you, either. But you have to admit, making up is pretty damn great."

He laughed again, kissing her lightly. "Yeah, it is," he agreed. "But can't we go right to the making up without the being mad?"

She poked him in the ribs. "Gee, why didn't I think of that?"

He rolled over, trapping her beneath him with a smile. He kissed her, teasing her lips with his. "I don't know. Why didn't you?"

With light kisses and an even lighter touch, he teased her, knowing full well she'd get him back for it later. And he looked forward to that with relish.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Check," Logan said with a smile.

Barek moved her queen and, with an even bigger smile, replied, "Mate."

He studied the chessboard. "No way. Where'd that come from? Damn, Barek."

"That's three wins for me and two for you."

He got up from his chair and stretched. "Ok, I'm crying 'uncle,' at least for now."

Crossing the porch, he looked out toward the lake. She watched him. "How's your rash, Mike?"

He looked over his shoulder at her. "I wouldn't have a rash if you..."

"Don't you even. You started it."

He grinned. "I did, didn't I? Goren said it would be a lot worse if I hadn't showered right away."

"You're lucky he knows what to do."

"As annoying as that can be sometimes."

She looked into the cabin through the window. "He did come back to the cabin, didn't he?"

"I thought I heard them talking early this morning."

"He must have spent the night out wandering."

"That wouldn't surprise me. He was pretty upset when I talked to him."

"He wasn't any better when he left the second time. He wouldn't talk to either of us."

"That's pretty serious when he shuts down and won't even talk to Eames." He looked thoughtful. "Do you think Deakins knows about them?"

"Yeah, I think he does. Is he gonna do anything about it? Not a chance. He'll never give them up, if he can help it. And they're not stupid. It's not anything they'll showcase around the squad."

"Half the squad thinks they're together anyway, and the other half thinks it's bound to happen sooner or later."

"What about us, Mike?"

He looked thoughtful as he crossed back to her and sat beside her. "What about us? I drive you up a wall."

"Because you can't help being an idiot."

"I am what I am."

She laughed. "I don't think I'd want you any other way."

"That's reassuring."

"If we're going to continue together, though, we're going to have to be careful, you know. We're not Goren and Eames."

"And we never will be. So, do we continue into it, or do we step back?"

She nodded her head toward the cabin. "They won't say anything."

"No, they won't."

"So the last obstacle is you. Can you be discrete?"

"I'm an obstacle?"

"If you can't be discrete, you are."

"It's not like I'd ever throw you across the desks..."

"You are not going to _throw_ me anywhere."

He laughed and leaned toward her, giving her a quick kiss. "Ok, you can do the throwing."

"Don't worry, I will."

He gave her a mischievous grin. "You're my dream girl, Barek."

The door opened and Eames came out of the cabin. "What's up, guys?"

"Not much," Logan answered. "Where's Goren?"

"In the kitchen."

"Is he ok?" Barek asked.

"He's fine."

"When did he make his way back in?"

"Around dawn."

Logan shook his head. "So he did wander around in the woods all night long. Man, you really did a number on him, Eames."

Barek gave him a shove. "Go talk to him."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You don't have to hit me with a frying pan every time. I'm going." He went into the house and headed for the kitchen.

Goren looked at him. "You get banished from the porch?"

"Yeah, they want to talk about us. How are you doing?"

"I'm good."

"Just good?"

He grinned and turned his attention back to the refrigerator. "Sandwich?"

"Ok, you talked me into it."

He pulled out several packages of cold cuts while Logan got the bread. Goren looked at him as he set the mayonnaise and mustard on the counter. "I did figure out one thing."

"Yeah? What was that?"

"You asked how they make us do shit all the time."

"Yeah. You said it was in the rule book."

He shook his head. "It's not. Doesn't have a thing to do with the rule book."

"Really?"

"Really. It has more to do with...uh, temptation and promise."

Logan looked thoughtful. "I never thought about it that way, but damn, you're right. Given the right...motivation, yeah, I'd do almost anything she asked."

"Almost?"

"I try to avoid absolutes. I get my ass in less trouble that way."

He absently scratched his arm. Goren picked up an apple from the counter and tossed it to him. "Don't scratch. It'll get infected."

Logan grimaced and tossed the apple back. "She owes me for this one."

"Why? It was your fault."

"Could you be on _my_ side just this once, Goren?"

Finishing with the sandwiches, he put everything away. "All right, Mike. Just this once."

He handed Logan two plates and two bottles of beer. "Can I tell her I made her sandwich?" Logan asked with a grin.

"I don't care."

They crossed the great room to the front door and Logan poked his head out. "Is it safe to come out now?"

"Sure," Barek replied, smiling.

He looked over his shoulder at Goren. "The way they're grinning, this can't be good."

Goren gave him a shove through the door. "Just deal with it," he muttered. "You're not going to avoid it."

Logan stopped and turned back toward him, lowering his voice. "Who the hell wrote that damn rule book?"

"They did and you know it."

"Maybe we should write our own."

Goren laughed. "Why bother? First of all, they'd never read it. Second of all, their book would overrule ours anyway. Deal with it, Mike. They own us."

"Can't blame a guy for trying."

He continued onto the porch and handed Barek her lunch. Goren came around behind Eames, gently kissed her neck and sat down in the chair beside hers, handing her a plate and a beer. Logan watched him. "You're right, Goren."

"I know," he answered with a smile. There was no doubt in his mind that these women owned them both.

Eames looked at him. "Right about what?"

"Never mind. You've probably figured it out anyway."

"How do I know if you won't tell me what you're talking about?"

He just smiled and took a drink of his beer, shifting his gaze to Logan, who grinned back at him. Barek looked at Eames. "So what do we do with them?"

"I have a few ideas."

Barek laughed. "I think you're in trouble, Bobby."

"I know I am," he answered, but he didn't look worried. This was the kind of trouble he didn't mind at all.

------------------------------------------------------------

"Son of a bitch," Logan swore, sticking his thumb in his mouth reflexively, then yanking it out and spitting into the water over the side of the boat.

"Hook yourself again?" Barek asked.

"Shut up," he snapped.

Goren leaned over and took the hook and worm from his hands. "Don't snap at her," he said, slipping the bait onto the hook and handing it back to him.

"Fine for you to say. You didn't just stick worm guts in your mouth."

"Taste good?" Eames teased.

He held his hand toward her. "Want a lick? You can see for yourself."

"Don't tempt me, Logan," she shot back.

Goren turned away from them, trying to hide his amusement from Logan, who had accepted a challenge from Barek about catching the first fish. Eames seemed to know what the bet was about, but Goren decided ignorance was his best bet. Eames leaned toward Logan and said, "Still determined to catch that fish, Mike?"

Annoyed, Logan leaned toward her and, his eyes shifting toward Goren, replied, "You wanna go swimming, Eames?" Goren looked at him, catching his smile, and gave him a warning glare. "What's fair is fair, Goren," he said with a grin.

"Getting tired of being picked on?" Goren wondered.

"Just a little."

The big detective studied the tip of his fishing rod, then shifted his eyes back to Logan. "You know how easy it is to capsize a rowboat, Mike?"

"No. And I don't want to find out, thank you."

"Then maybe you should watch how you treat people."

"Meaning leave your partner alone, right?"

Goren shrugged. "If she goes swimming, so do you."

Logan smiled at him. "Is that a threat?"

Barek smacked him in the back of the head. "Why are you antagonizing him, you ass? If any of us can flip this boat, he's the one, and I don't particularly want to go swimming right now."

Goren leaned back into the bow of the boat. "He's not antagonizing me," he commented.

Logan leaned against the side of the boat, smiling at Goren. "So how would one go about capsizing this thing?"

"You really want to sink Deakins' boat?" Barek frowned at him. "Have you lost your mind?"

"It wouldn't necessarily sink," Goren said.

Eames hit his leg. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What? It wouldn't."

"Hmmm," Logan mused. "So is there any truth to the rumor that if you stand up in a rowboat you'll flip it?"

Goren shrugged. "There might be."

"Bobby!" Eames frowned at him. "Do not encourage him."

"I'm not. I've stood up in rowboats plenty of times without flipping 'em. Then again, Lewis did it once and _whoop_...right in the lake. He never stood up in a rowboat again, and damn near tossed me over the next time I did."

"Wanna experiment?"

"No!" Eames and Barek answered in unison.

Logan laughed, raising an eyebrow. "So if I stand up..." He got to his feet in the center of the boat.

"Logan," Barek warned. "If you don't sit your ass down I swear I'm going to knock you out of the boat."

Intending simply to make a point by unsettling the two women and maybe get back at them a little for all the teasing, Logan began shifting his weight from side to side. "Uh, Logan..." Goren began. But his warning came too late as the boat flipped in the water.

Logan surfaced, immediately looking for Barek, who popped up right by him. He quickly moved away from her, laughing. Goren surfaced next, looking for his partner. "Where's Eames?"

Logan scanned the immediate area. "I dunno."

They both disappeared below the water's surface. Logan came up first. "She come up?"

"No," Barek answered. "You're dead meat, Logan."

They heard a splash on the other side of the boat. "Alex?" he called.

"I swear I'm going to throttle you, Logan," she sputtered.

He looked relieved. "You ok?"

"Yes."

"Goren over there with you?"

"Yes, he is."

Logan and Barek swam around to the other side of the boat, where Eames was resting her head against Goren's shoulder. Goren frowned darkly at Logan, who grinned apologetically. "Sorry, guys, but wow, that was really easy."

Barek also frowned at him. "I thought you were afraid of swimming in the lake."

"I'm getting used to it out here. Besides, Goren convinced me there aren't any sharks or anything in this water."

Eames poked him in the stomach. "Thanks a lot."

He shrugged, wrapping his fingers around her hand and turning his head toward hers. "I never expected him to want to go swimming," he said by way of an apology.

Logan looked at them. "So, Goren, how do we get this boat back to shore?"

"We swim it back."

"_We_?" Barek asked. "Who's _we_? You want to help him, be my guest. I'm more inclined to let him do it on his own."

"We can't just flip it back over?" Logan asked, studying the capsized boat.

"No, we can't," Goren answered. "And it'll be a hell of a job for one person to get back by himself."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I had no idea you actually planned to flip the damn thing."

Barek swam over to the boat, found the tow line and brought it over to Logan. "Have fun."

"Great. Thanks."

Eames sighed and pulled away from her partner. She kissed him and said, "We'll see you boys back at the cabin."

Goren glared at Logan. "What?" Logan said. "I didn't know..."

"Then you shouldn't have done it, dumbass. Start pulling. I'll swim behind and push it along."

"I'm gonna owe you for this, huh?"

"You bet you are."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

When Logan came out of the shower, there was a fire going strong in the fireplace. Barek looked at him from the couch where she was sitting, and he grinned at her. She shook her head. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"My mother told me that often."

"I have no doubt she did."

He looked at Eames, who was watching him from where she sat in an easy chair near the fire. His shifted his gaze to Goren, who was sitting on the floor closer to the fire, not having any luck hiding his amusement. "What the hell possessed you to do that, Mike?" Goren asked.

Logan shrugged. "I wanted to try it."

"Flipping a boat?"

"Well, seeing if it would flip."

Barek threw a cushion at him. "Newsflash, idiot. Rowboats flip with little provocation."

He threw it back. "So does my partner."

She sighed. "Come over here and sit down."

"Is it safe?"

She laughed. "It's safe. I'm not going to do anything."

He looked back over at Goren and Eames. "You guys are my witnesses."

"If you're so worried about retaliation, why do you do such stupid things?" Eames asked reasonably.

"I don't know. They just come to me."

"It's a guy thing, Eames," Goren told her.

"Really? I don't see you flipping boats in the middle of the lake."

"I've done it, more than once. I've done a lot of stupid things, believe me."

Logan laughed. "So you've got them out of your system now?"

"Not entirely," he grinned.

"Ok," Eames leaned forward. "Tell us what the last stupid thing you did was."

He turned to face her and said, "Look back over the last five months, Eames, and start counting."

"Touche, Goren," she said with a smile, leaning closer and gently kissing him, to reassure him that she had, indeed, forgiven him for everything. He smiled back at her, letting his fingers linger on her cheek and his eyes on her face. She rested her forehead against his, and said, "We can't change the past, so we leave it behind and move on. Ok?"

He nodded. "Ok." As she sat back in the chair, he said, "Letting Logan stand up in the rowboat."

She looked confused. "What?"

"That would have been the last stupid thing I did."

They laughed, and it felt good to let go for a little while. The world could be a very dark place. For them to be able to focus purely on fun and laughter and each other was a rare and welcome pleasure, and they deserved it. The real world wasn't going anywhere in the next few days, and all too soon they would once more be confronted with the dark side of human nature. It never hurt to be reminded, however briefly, that there was a lot of light left in the world and they were a part of that light and the hope that came with it.

_fin_


End file.
